X-Force: Fight the Future
by Bubba Hyde
Summary: The war with Apocalypse has ended, but Cannonball continues to lead the X-Force against the enemies of the mutant race. Young mutants are disappearing and the team will do whatever it takes to end this new threat, including going against the X-Men. Cannonball, Wolfsbane, Siryn, Boomer, Warpath, Mirage, Cypher, Wrath & X-23. Reviews much appreciated.
1. X-Force 1: Shattered Pieces

Disclaimer: Marvel owns everything here except Wrath.

A/N: An alternate version of X-Force from Earth 730.

The X-Force, a special operations unit formed by Charles Xavier's former students, the New Mutants, stand ready to strike at the enemies of the mutant race. Their aggressive approach to the conflict between humanity and the mutants has put them at odds with their mentor and the X-Men. However, with the mutant nation of Genosha reduced to ashes and anti-mutant hysteria raging after the war with Apocalypse, the X-Force may be the best hope for the survival of the mutants.

This Issue:

X-Force: Cannonball, Boomer, Siryn, Mirage, Warpath, Wolfsbane

X-Men: Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, Professor X

Students: Pixie, Wind Dancer

* * *

**X-Force # 1: Shattered Pieces**

**Xavier Institute – Westchester New York**

"There's been an incident." Ororo said as Logan walked into her office and sat down across from her at her desk. Their old enemy Donald Pierce and the Reavers had abducted several young mutants and crucified them on X shaped crosses.

"What happened?" Logan asked.

"Donald Pierce and the Reavers." Ororo replied as he handed her a folder containing a full report of the incident. Donald Pierce was making an open mockery of them; he was sending a message that mutants weren't safe and that the X-Men couldn't protect them.

"They'll be coming for our students next." Ororo said. "I want you to make certain that the institute is secure." She said. As headmistress, the safety of her students took top priority and she knew she had to prepare before Pierce was strong enough to attack the school.

"This is bullshit Ro." Logan snorted as he tossed the folder aside. "You need to let me put these mechanical freaks in body bags before we end up with a bunch of dead kids on our doorstep." He said angrily.

"Logan, I share your anger...but I'm going to ask all of you to use the utmost discretion in dealing with this situation." Xavier said as he and Scott made their presence known.

"They're targeting kids and you two still wanna play superheroes?" Logan asked.

"We have to be better than the scum we're fighting Logan." Scott said defensively.

"Nice speech boy scout." Logan said in a disgusted tone. "Tell that to those kids' families."

"Logan, if we go carve up Pierce's baby Reavers the media will crucify **us**." Scott said. "We'll take them down, but we can't rip them apart like X-Force did the Sapien League."

"This is bullshit." Logan said as he lit a cigar and left the room.

"I'll try to talk to him…" Scott sighed as he followed him out.

"I never wanted this..." Xavier said in despair. "I never intended to create a fighting team...I built this place so people like Rahne and Kurt could live without being persecuted, so people like Logan and Laura could put their lives back together...I didn't build this place to train soldiers for war."

"Charles…the world has changed and we have to be more proactive now." Ororo said. "But, we all want a better world for the next generation of mutants **_and_** humans." She reassured him.

"I was right to make you headmistress." Xavier said appreciatively.

"There have been times when I thought about giving up..." She admitted. "All this anger and violence can poison your soul if you let it...but every time was ready to give up and go home, I stopped and looked at the kids and realized I had to keep on fighting if they were going to have a future." "They believe in your vision Charles...I believe in it too...you could have done so many things with your fortune, but you chose to help a handful of children that no one wanted...we'd lost hope before you took us in and showed us what good we could do with our lives..."

"Don't make me out to be a saint..." Xavier interrupted.

"You never forced any of us to fight...we chose this life because we share your dream and your respect for life...and we're not alone." She said as Sophia and Megan flew past the window, chasing Jean-Paul. The new students were all adjusting well and most of them were delighted to be able to attend the institute and learn from the X-Men. They reminded her so much of the New Mutants when they had first arrived, but those happy memories were marred by regret. It was never Xavier's intention to train them as X-Men; he wanted to offer them a sanctuary free from abuse and violence to learn to use their powers for the greater good. Unfortunately, they often found themselves in harms way and despite their heroic intentions, their lives had been filled with sorrow and suffering.

"I don't want them to end up like the New Mutants." Xavier said grimly.

"Charles, they chose to fight to protect the innocent…they suffered for it, but so have we all." She said emphatically. "They're strong, just like the X-Men and while we may not agree with everything they do, they still believe in your dream…we need to believe in them." She said.

Ororo excused herself, she didn't like seeing her mentor so depressed, but she certainly understood his feelings. The past few years had been extremely difficult for all of them, but especially for Xavier; his health was deteriorating and Illyana had been killed. Danielle had been depowered by Colonel Stryker's **M**utant **R**esponse **D**ivision and the New Mutants had become more angry and militaristic as a result. He held himself responsible for putting them in harms way, but they'd saved the world.

The war with Apocalypse had almost destroyed everything Xavier had spent his whole life working for and it had taken the life of his most cherished student, Jean Grey. Her loss had shaken the team to its core and even now, a year later, they had yet to fully recover. Scott and Emma's relationship certainly didn't help matters and Ororo had to admit, she was shocked by Scott's behavior. Everyone else was still grieving for Jean, but he seemed completely indifferent now that he was with Emma. His daughter Rachel was so hurt that she'd left and no one had heard from her in months and while Scott and Nathan had never been particularly close, they weren't speaking to each other at all now.

So much had changed and not for the better she thought as she paused and looked out the window. The whole world still hated and feared them and it seemed like everything they'd done had all been for nothing, but then she saw Sam and Tabitha walking through the institute's garden and she felt her hope restored. That poor girl had come from a terrible home, almost as bad as Rahne's but she'd grown into a fine young woman, a true hero and Ororo was proud of all she'd accomplished. Changing the life of a poor, abused, unloved teen might not seem like much, but it was the first step toward healing a broken and suffering world.

'_I'm so proud of all of you.'_ She thought as she noticed Rahne sitting on the bench under the oak tree at the far side of the garden, studying for her classes. She and Tabitha were the youngest at nineteen and twenty, but they had graduated and now Rahne was studying to become a teacher. Danielle was twenty two, a college graduate and the newest instructor now that Josh Foley had restored her powers. Sam had become the leader of X-Force now that Cable had set up another team. Roberto was head of X-Corp. Los Angeles office and Amara was working with him, while Theresa was second in command of X-Force and James was serving on the team as well. She didn't know much about the newest addition, Michael Holmes, other than the fact that he'd been trained by SHIELD since he was fourteen and he'd fought with the Avengers against Apocalypse in the war for New York a year earlier. She had to admit that she didn't agree with _everything_ X-Force was doing, but she trusted them to make the right decisions and not endanger the peace the X-Men were working to preserve.

* * *

**That Evening at Harry's Hideaway**

"To Dani." Sam said as everyone raised a bottle. "Welcome home." He added.

"Thanks guys." Danielle said. The years hadn't been kind and so much had changed, but Danielle felt good to be back sharing a drink with her friends. Sam, Rahne and Theresa were all that was left of the original team and James and Tabitha were all that was left of the new students. It would have been wonderful to see Roberto again, but after everything they'd been through she was just grateful they were all still in one piece.

"Wow…I didn't think it was possible, but this place has gotten even worse." Danielle said as she looked around the bar.

"It really has…there was a fight in here th' other night." Rahne said as she took a sip of her beer. The bar might be rough sometimes, but it was mutant friendly and Harry didn't look too hard at Rahne and Tabitha's fake IDs as long as they didn't get drunk and cause trouble.

"I can't believe how much you've changed furtop…there was a time when you wouldn't come within a mile of the place." Danielle said. She'd left the team after being tortured by Col. Stryker resulting in the loss of her powers and while Rahne had tried to stay in touch, she'd missed out on a lot. Rahne had really changed; she was a lot more outgoing now, she had grown her hair really long and she was even enjoying a beer with her friends. She'd also bought a motorcycle and gotten as many ear piercings as her roommate and new best friend Tabitha. Danielle had to admit she liked Rahne's new _'biker'_ look with her torn jeans, tank top and leather jacket as well as her more outgoing personality, but she was jealous over her close friendship with Tabitha.

"Yea, when I was fourteen." Rahne said sarcastically.

"Did _you_ corrupt my sweet little sister?" Danielle asked Tabitha.

"I tried, but she's still a saint compared to the rest of us." Tabitha said as she downed her beer and reached for another.

_'Damn, she could drink Colossus under the table.'_ Danielle thought. Tabitha seemed pretty wild and Danielle wondered what Sam saw in her besides her physical blessings. She was a beautiful blue eyed blonde with shoulder length hair, big breasts and an incredible body. She seemed nice, but it was like someone had turned her personality up to eleven and broken the knob off. She just seemed a little superficial to Danielle; not like the kind of girl she thought Sam would take home to meet his mother. Danielle and Sam had a brief relationship before she'd lost her powers and while she didn't expect him to still be single, let alone waiting for her, she was still sad. It felt like Tabitha had filled the void she'd left behind and she wondered if the others had really missed her.

"How did you two get to be friends?" Danielle asked, making both Rahne and Tabitha laugh. "Did I say something funny?" She asked.

"Aye." Rahne laughed. "Tabitha couldnae stand me when she first moved in…we used tae fight all th' time."

"Yeah, I was really awful to her." Tabitha admitted. "I was going through a really bad time in my life." She said

"You can't be a New Mutant without a sad back story." Danielle said. "So what's yours Tabitha?" She asked. Tabitha wasn't in the mood to tell Danielle her life's story; she really didn't want to talk to her at all, but she knew Rahne wanted them to be friends. Tabitha's trust wasn't given easily, if at all, but Rahne had told her she could trust Danielle so she decided to give her a chance.

"My parents didn't want me." Tabitha sighed. "I'd pretty much given up…I didn't really care what happened to me and I was making some really bad choices and screwing my life up." She admitted. "Most of the instructors thought I was a lost cause, but Rahne knew what I was going through and she wouldn't give up on me. No matter how mean I was to her, she kept trying to help and one day, when I'd finally hit rock bottom…I listened to her." Tabitha said. "She told me my life wasn't a mistake…that my past and my criminal record didn't define me…that my life mattered." She said. "She's the first_ real_ friend I ever had." Tabitha said as Rahne remembered how she and Tabitha had become so close.

* * *

**Three Years Earlier**

**Xavier Institute – Westchester New York**

'_She's so lucky to have him...'_ Rahne thought as Sam parked his truck in the garage and leaned over to give Tabitha a quick kiss on the cheek. Tabitha had arrived at the institute about two months ago and she and Sam had quickly become attracted to each other. Sam was a great guy; he was kind and patient, he was strong, honest and a really hard worker. Rahne didn't know _all_ the details, but she knew Tabitha had a horrible relationship with her parents, especially her father, so it was pretty obvious why her new roommate was so attracted to Sam. Even though Rahne was still heartbroken over the loss of her first love, Wesley, part of her was a little sad and jealous that Sam was taken. She had a huge crush on him when she was younger, but now she realized he was never going to see her as anything but a little sister. '_That's selfish and wrong.'_ She thought as they got out and began walking back up the driveway to the institute. _'God brought them together for a reason and I should be ashamed of myself…I should be happy for Tabitha.'_Rahne thought as she forced those thoughts out of her mind. She wasn't ready to open her heart again anyway and she trusted God to lead her to the right man for her when she was ready.

Helping other people was really the only thing that helped her cope with the pain of her loss and Rahne felt that she should be doing more to help Tabitha. Despite a rocky start to their relationship, they'd become friends and Rahne had learned a lot about her. She'd never come out and admitted it, but Rahne had been abused herself and she was certain Tabitha's father had physically and emotionally abused her. Rahne's former guardian, Reverend Craig, was hateful and cruel and she knew exactly what Tabitha was going through. She'd struggled for years to overcome her past and she really wanted to help her new friend. Despite their blossoming friendship, Tabitha wasn't really eager to talk about her past and Rahne tried to respect her privacy, but she was worried about her.

Tabitha didn't really fit in well and some of the instructors regarded her as a slacker and a bad influence on the others. Fortunately Ororo, Jean and Professor Xavier seemed to be on her side and they kept trying to work with her even though she was given to blowing off Danger Room training and sneaking out to go get drunk at parties with the kids from town. Rahne could see that all Tabitha's drinking, partying and flirting was just a cover for her own self-doubt and the pain she felt from being abandoned and unloved. She tried to talk to her about it when she first moved in with her, but Tabitha couldn't stand Rahne's wholesome attitude and thought she was being holier than thou. Rahne was offended, but she refused to give up on her and started following her to make sure nothing bad happened to her and no one tried to take advantage of her.

At first Tabitha had been annoyed by Rahne tagging along with her, but after the last party they went too, she was glad she had. Rahne had caught a guy putting GHB in her drink and stopped him and his friends from taking advantage of her or any of the other girls at the party. Rahne was one of Logan's best students in self-defense class and she wiped the floor with him without even using her powers. His friends freaked out and bailed on him before anyone could call the police, but she wasn't about to spend one more second at that party. Rahne grabbed her inebriated roommate and got a ride from one of the girls from her church before the police arrived, but they'd still gotten caught by Logan.

Rahne pleaded with him not to punish Tabitha or tell the others what had happed, to let her handle it when she sobered up. Logan would have refused such a request from anyone else, but he had a soft spot for Rahne and he knew he could trust her to always do the right thing. He gave Rahne his word and even carried Tabitha back to their room for her. Tabitha was sick most of the night and Rahne stayed up with her and took care of her until she was well enough to talk about what had almost happened. Tabitha was so ashamed of herself she didn't know what to say to Rahne, she knew how dangerous the world _really_ was and she couldn't believe she'd gotten so drunk she'd fallen for that. She realized Rahne really did care about her and wanted to be the first _real_ friend she'd ever had.

Tabitha also realized she was ruining her life just as her parents had ruined theirs and the thought that she'd nearly been raped by five guys made her reconsider her idea of a good time and she'd stopped drinking so much and hanging out at those kind of parties. She knew Rahne wasn't going to stop following her and for the first time in her life, she stopped to consider what effect her actions were having on other people. Tabitha would never forgive herself if something happened to her. She was beginning to truly understand how special Rahne was, she respected her now and she was glad they were friends. She also began to notice that as strong as Rahne seemed to be, she was hurting inside as well and Tabitha wanted to help her.

"Tha' new haircut looks really good on ye Tabby." Rahne said as they walked up the driveway.

"Thanks, I thought it was time for a change." she said. Her hair had been really long, but now she'd gotten it cut _really_short and it looked great on her.

"Yeah and ya helped some poor kid with cancer too." Sam reminded her as he leaned over and kissed her.

"That's really what made me go through with it...and I'm really glad I did." she said as she put her arm around Rahne. Rahne had told her she could donate it and she was glad she could help someone and look good doing it.

"Tabitha, you've got a visitor." Jean-Paul said as he greeted them at the door. "He's in the old sitting room." he added, nodding toward the door.

* * *

**The Old Sitting Room**

"Why are you here?! You know you're not supposed to have any contact with me!" Tabitha snapped as she walked in and saw her father. _'What the hell was Northstar thinking?!' _She wondered. She thought she'd made it clear to the instructors she never wanted to see either of her parents ever again, especially not her father, she had a restraining order against him. Unfortunately, Jean-Paul had just come back to visit and he didn't know about her father; otherwise he'd never have let him near her.

"You're my daughter; I just wanted to see you again." Martin Smith answered as he held out his arms. The insincerity was evident in his voice and he wasn't fooling anyone, let alone her.

"You're just here because you're broke." Tabitha said bluntly as she took a step back from him. There was no way she was going to hug him after everything he'd done. Sam and Rahne both took a step toward him and gave him looks that could have melted steel.

"What the hell is your problem boy?!" He snapped as he turned to Sam. His real personality was on full display now and he was every bit as hateful as Rahne had imagined he'd be. Sam didn't know anything about Tabitha's life before the institute, he'd only known her about two months, but he knew she didn't get along with parents. Now that he met her father it was easy to see why, he was short, ugly and bad tempered, it was almost impossible to believe Tabitha could be related to someone so pathetic. If this guy thought he was going to intimidate Sam Guthrie, he was sadly mistaken, one look in his eyes and Sam knew he was a coward, he'd seen his kind before and he hated guys like him.

"Ya try t' put yer hands on her again and you'll find out." He said coldly as Martin Smith took a step back. "You damn well better back up." Sam hissed. It was obvious from her father's attitude and from what she'd said about no contact with her that he must have abused her and Sam wanted to beat the hell out of him. Rahne was having similar thoughts, but she reached over and put her hand on Sam's arm, she could sense his anger and while she shared his contempt for the man, it would be better if this confrontation ended peacefully.

"I don't have anything for you! Get out and leave me alone! I never want to see you again!" Tabitha yelled. She was ashamed of her father and ashamed of her past, she didn't want anyone to find out what she'd done or where she'd come from, especially not Sam and Rahne. They both treated her with respect and dignity and she didn't want them to know the truth about how he'd forced her to use her powers to help him steal and she didn't want to have to admit she was white-trash from a trailer park.

"So now you think you're too good for me?!" Her dad yelled. "You're a thief! You're nothin' but a white-trash whore just like your mom and..." He never got a chance to finish as Sam slammed his fist into his face and started beating him mercilessly. Rahne let him go for a few moments before she pulled him away; she abhorred violence but knew it was sometimes necessary, especially in this case. This horrible man reminded her of her of Reverend Craig, who she loathed and she felt terrible that he'd said that to Tabitha in front of the others. They'd heard them yelling at each other and had arrived just in time to hear everything. It was obvious from the look on Tabitha's face that she was beyond humiliated, she was completely destroyed. Tabitha broke down crying and pushed her way past the others, followed by Rahne and Sam. The X-Men and other students were shocked, Tabitha always seemed so happy and cheerful; they never would have guessed she had such a horrible life before she came to live with them.

Logan grabbed Martin Smith and dragged him, beaten and bloody, to the front door to throw him out. Logan hurled him down in the driveway and stood over him like an animal about to go in for the kill. "You piece of shit!" He yelled as he kicked him as hard as he could. "You think you're tough beating up little girls?! Let's see how big your balls are now!" Martin rolled over and vomited from the force of the blow, if he got out of this alive, there was no way he was ever coming back to this place.

Logan walked over and put his boot on his throat. "Now you listen to me and you listen good, you're gonna get up and you're gonna get outta here and you're never gonna hurt her again, or they won't find your body...I promise you that Bub." He said as his claws burst out. Martin Smith forced himself to his feet and scramble to his truck, desperate to escape another savage beating.

"Asshole." Logan muttered as he watched him drive away. _'Poor kid, she didn't deserve this.'_ Logan thought as he turned and walked back to the house. Tabitha could be a nuisance sometimes, blowing off training, smarting off, sneaking out, and he hated it when she called him "badger" but he'd seen enough to know she was a good kid despite all the clowning around she did.

* * *

**Meanwhile**

"Tabitha! Wait!" Sam pleaded as he and Rahne followed her upstairs. They'd only been going out for a short time, but he really wanted their relationship to become serious. He knew Tabitha had her faults and was obviously running from her past, it didn't take a genius to figure that out, but he didn't care. He didn't believe anything her father had said about her, but even if it was all true, he still didn't care, he respected Tabitha because she hadn't allowed herself to give in to anger or self pity. He respected her because she didn't take things for granted like a lot of the others did; she was one of the few students who didn't rely completely on the professor's generosity.

"Leave me alone Sam...please just go away..." Tabitha sobbed as she headed for her room.

"Ah don't care if everything he said is true! It doesn't matter to me, but you do!" He said in utter desperation.

"Leave me alone!" She cried as she slammed the door and locked it.

"Damn it..." He cursed as he turned around and leaned against her door. Rahne came to his side and listened at the door for a moment. She still had the senses of a wolf even in her natural form and there was very little that escaped her notice.

"Let her be." Rahne sighed as she heard Tabitha sobbing. "I'll come back later when she's calmed down." She said as they walked back down the hall to Sam's room. Sam had split the skin on his knuckles punching Tabitha's father and Rahne cleaned his wound and bandaged his hand before they both sat down on his bed to talk.

"Is she mad at me because Ah hit him?" Sam asked as kicked off his boots and lay back on his bed.

"She's nae mad at ye." Rahne said as she tossed her shoes beside his bed and sat there facing him. "She's humiliated...worse than tha' really...and I know jus' how she feels." She sighed. She knew Tabitha had family problems and she'd been trying to talk to her about it, but Tabitha had been avoiding the subject. Rahne knew she should have been more direct and forthcoming about her own past and she felt like she'd failed Tabitha.

"**He** beat you too?!" Sam asked. This day was turning into nightmare, he just found out _both_ his friend and his girlfriend had been abused and treated like garbage and there was nothing he could really do to make it any better. He didn't know what to say to either of them, he came from a big family that loved each other, what did he know about what they were going through?

"Aye…he did…" Rahne said, as a thousand horrible memories flooded back to her. "Tha's why ye ha' tae let me be th' first one tae talk tae her...I know wha' she's feeling, be glad ye ne'er will." She added.

"Ah am." He said as he reached over and held Rahne's hand. She'd told them Reverend Craig treated her badly, she could be moody sometimes and she had emotional outbursts now and then, but Sam hadn't wanted to believe anyone could beat someone like Rahne. She was so sweet and innocent and it really hurt him to know she'd been abused and treated so horribly. He was absolutely sick over what had happened to Tabitha and he couldn't get the image of her beaten, bruised, lonely, unloved and crying in pain and fear out of his mind. It was sickening and he was glad Rahne was there to talk with him and help him deal with it; this level of cruelty was completely alien to him.

They must have talked for an hour before Rahne finally got up and went to check on her roommate. She didn't get any answer when she knocked and she could sense there was no one in the room even though the door was still locked. It smelled like the window was open; she could smell the cold fall air. A horrible thought flashed through Rahne's mind and she kicked the door open, ran to the window and jumped out.

* * *

**The Garden**

"Where are ye goin'?!" Rahne asked as she caught up to Tabitha at the edge of the woods. Tabitha dropped her backpack off her shoulder, sat down and began to cry.

"Away Rahne…I don't know, but I can't stay here…everything he said is true…I'm a thief, I'm white-trash…Sam's not gonna want me anymore." She cried. Rahne fought the urge to slap her, she was being ridiculous, but she was so emotionally destroyed that she couldn't help it. "I don't matter Rahne." Tabitha said. "My own mother told me I was an accident."

"Yui're nae an accident! Yuir life is nae a mistake Tabby! Ye were born fer a purpose!" Rahne yelled. "Ye matter tae God and ye matter tae me! Yui're muh friend and I love ye!" Rahne cried.

"What do you want with a friend like me?" Tabitha asked as she wiped her eyes. Her life was a total train wreck and nobody ever stayed close to her long, but one look in Rahne's eyes told her she was dead serious. She'd always been there for her and Tabitha realized she _really_ did care about her; she was the first _real_ friend she'd ever had.

"Yui're th only one who understands me..." Rahne whispered. "Reverend Craig hurt me tae..."

"I'm sorry...oh God, I'm sorry...all this time you've been trying to help me, but I wouldn't listen...I've been so selfish." She said, realizing how deeply Rahne was suffering.

"Ye were jus' lost and hurt...I know, I've been there." Rahne said as she put her arm around her. Tabitha was so touched by Rahne's love and concern for her that she started to cry again. "Let it out Tabby... I know how much it hurts." Rahne said.

Tabitha finally broke down and told Rahne about her dad, about his drinking and criminal record; and how badly he'd beaten her when her powers manifested, and every other time she'd made him angry. About how he'd forced her to help him steal by using her powers, about how he'd finally gotten arrested and about how her step mother had rejected her and she'd lived on the street, about how her mom had refused to take her in and abandoned her at the institute. Finally, Tabitha began to cry again, her tears had been suppressed by beatings and insults for too long and now that she had finally found someone who understood her, she couldn't pretend it didn't hurt any longer.

Rahne knew exactly how Tabitha felt and she was glad she could help her new friend, she held her and tried to comfort her, but it wasn't long before she was crying as well. She had come a long way toward getting her life straightened out since Moira and Joseph had saved her, but she still carried emotional scars from her past life and she knew she always would. Rahne told Tabitha about her life, about how her mother had died when she was four. She told her about how Reverend Craig, who she later discovered was her father, had taken her in and abused her for years before she finally became desperate enough to run away one night when she was nine. It was a miracle she'd survived the freezing night on the moor to be found by Joseph and Moira MacTaggert the next morning. Craig had been arrested and exposed as the monster he really was, but justice had come too late as it often does.

It took years to undo the damage he did to her; Rahne was so shy and insecure and so utterly convinced she was worthless and evil when she first came to live with them, that Moira and Joseph wondered if she'd ever be able to have a normal life. Reverend Craig had raised her to be extremely intolerant and judgmental and filled her head with all kinds of blasphemous lies. Reverend MacLaren, who'd come to replace Craig, was horrified by what had happened to Rahne and he devoted himself to leading her back to Christ and teaching her the truth. With her new parent's love and his guidance, she'd come to truly understand God's word and had left all the lies behind for the most part. Rahne was now a strong and dedicated Christian, who tried to love everyone, but she wouldn't compromise her beliefs to be accepted and she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself or her faith. Rahne had beaten Reverend Craig; she could have become just like him, but she'd become better than him in every way.

Tabitha had given up on God a long time ago and had tried to pretend she didn't believe, but Rahne's sincerity and her genuine love and compassion for her moved Tabitha in a way nothing else in her life ever had and she opened her heart to the truth. The truth that she wasn't an accident, that God didn't make mistakes and that her life did have meaning and she'd never be alone again. She had to face the truth; it was obvious that she was only hurting herself with her rebellious behavior; her parents didn't care and they never had. She didn't know where to even begin, she wasn't exactly a model of virtue and she'd always thought of Christians as a bunch of pompous hypocrites, but she couldn't deny what she was feeling. God loved her, he was calling her and she couldn't ignore it, she knew it was time to give her life to him and stop destroying herself.

"I don't want to live like this anymore…" Tabitha cried.

"God loves ye Tabby and I love ye and ye dinnae ha' tae carry this pain by yuirself anymore." Rahne told her.

"I love you too Rahne." Tabitha sniffed as she hugged her.

"Let's go home." Rahne said as she dried her eyes and helped Tabitha to her feet.

'_I don't deserve a friend as good as you.'_ Tabitha thought as they walked back to the house. Rahne had been so frantic to find her she hadn't even stopped to put her shoes on and it was cold. Tabitha felt horribly ashamed that she'd tried to run away from her problems and her family. Rahne was always looking out for her, but she'd just treated her cruelly and she didn't feel like she deserved Rahne's love and forgiveness. Still, Rahne always seemed to be able to speak to her with such wisdom and love that she felt better until she saw Sam coming to meet them. She'd hoped to get back before he knew what she'd done, but now he knew how thoughtless she'd been.

"I'm sorry Sam…I'm so sorry…" Tabitha said as he took her in his arms and held her close. Rahne took Tabitha's backpack and left them to talk things over. "It's true…I was a thief…I'm white-trash from a trailer park…."

"Yer're not and I don't ever want t' hear ya say that about yerself again." He said emphatically. "Listen, Ah know we've only been together a little while, but Ah can see how special ya really are. Anybody else would be bitter and selfish, but yer're always tryin' to help th' others and make 'em happy...even though yer're hurtin' so bad inside." Sam said as they walked back toward the house. "Tabitha, Ah wanna be a part of yer life if you'll still have me, but ya don't have t' hide things like this from me...Ah love ya fer who ya are, Ah don't care what ya did or who ya used to be." Sam said. He knew she'd probably had to do a lot of things she wasn't proud of, but all that matter to him was the person she'd become. He'd never felt like this about anyone and he'd been through enough to know what love really was and what it really meant. He wasn't so naive as to think he was doing her any kind of favor and he damn sure wasn't attracted to her because he felt sorry for her and thought she needed protecting. He _did _want to protect her, that was just the kind of man he was, but he was attracted to her strength, her independence and her character, he just hoped she felt something _real_ for him.

"You're sure about this? ...you don't really know me Sam." Tabitha said, trying to control her emotions. She was so thankful to have found someone as kind, loving and patient as Sam; for a long time she didn't think men like him really existed and after what her father had said; she still couldn't quite believe he'd want anything to do with her. His family wasn't well off, but they were decent and hardworking; they had nothing in common with her awful, dysfunctional family of criminals and drunks.

"Ah know enough." He said emphatically as he reached over and took her hand. "Ah know Ah can't get ma mind off ya, Ah know Ah'm a better man when Ah'm around ya...and Ah know Ah felt th' same way Ah did when ma dad died when Ah realized you were gone." He told her as he looked into her eyes. She had the most beautiful eyes he'd ever seen and he could see how sad and beaten down she was, but there was still a spark of hope and defiance in them. Sam wished he could wipe away all the pain and misery of Tabitha's abusive childhood, but he knew that was impossible, all he could do was treat her with the respect and dignity she deserved and he was going to love her and stand by her no matter what she was going through.

"I love you Sam and I promise there won't be anymore secrets between us." She said as he held her in his arms and the tears started to run down her cheeks again. "I'm not as good as you think I am." She whispered. "I _**am**_ selfish and..."

"Ah _know,_ yer're not perfect and it should be obvious by now that Ah'm not either." He said as he stopped her. "This is gonna be hard sometimes and a lotta work fer both of us, but yer're worth it." He said as he kissed her. They'd kissed before, but never like this and she knew how much he loved her and how much she loved him.

"You're worth it too." She told him as they continued to hold each other. Sam offered a silent prayer of thanks as he tried to comfort her, she loved him and he couldn't ask for more than the wisdom to be the man she needed him to be. He promised her he'd never yell at her, hit her, insult her or even be too busy to spend time with her as they committed to each other.

* * *

**The Present**

"That's how we got to be friends, but after everything we've been through together, we're family." Tabitha said as she put her arm around Rahne, ending her reverie. Danielle's psychic bond with Rahne it wasn't nearly as strong as it had once been, but she could feel the depth of their love for each other. They really were like sisters now and Danielle was deeply hurt that she was no longer Rahne's most trusted companion. It was obvious that Tabitha was closer to Rahne than she'd ever been despite their psychic bond and Danielle was insanely jealous of her.

"I wouldnae have made it through th' war without her." Rahne said as she brushed away a tear and hugged Tabitha.

"So…is that sad enough?" Tabitha asked Danielle. It hadn't taken her long to realize Danielle was jealous of her relationship with Rahne and Sam and it made her angry. She trusted Sam, but she still felt insecure, Danielle was Sam's former girlfriend and she was a smart, capable leader as well. Tabitha's life had been filled with disappointment and heartache for so long and Sam and Rahne were the first people who ever believed in her and didn't treat her like a lost cause; they were the closest thing to family she had. She'd never let anyone take them away from her and she wanted to make sure Danielle knew it.

"Did I tell ye I heard from Ric the other day?" Theresa said, quickly changing the subject. Neither of them had a pleasant childhood and Theresa understood Tabitha's feelings, but she didn't want things to turn ugly and she didn't want to upset Rahne.

"No, how's he doin'?" Sam asked, following her lead.

"Not so good…seems his family has gotten on the bad side of the cartels down there and he's having to deal with all that now." She said. Richter had left because he was tired of all the fighting, but it seemed that he just couldn't escape it and he was caught up in another war. She felt better knowing he had Shatterstar with him, but she was concerned for his safety, they all were.

"Ric…be careful…." Rahne said quietly.

"What happened between you two?" Danielle asked. She'd left before Richter had arrived at the institute, but Rahne had told her she had a new boyfriend and Danielle was really happy for her.

"I dinnae want tae talk about it." Rahne said curtly as she reached for her beer. Danielle decided to let it drop, she didn't want to make Rahne angry and she could see it was clearly a sore subject for her.

"What happened to the rest of X-Force?" Danielle asked changing the subject. "Where are Cable, Domino and Tessa?"

"Providence last we heard." Sam said. "After th' war, we decided we were done with Cable and the team split up." He explained. "He took Domino, Sage, Bishop and that nut Deadpool with him and went after what's left of Clan Akkaba."

"Cable can go to hell, but I'm worried about the others, we haven't heard from 'em in a while." Tabitha said.

"Yeah…" Theresa sighed as Rahne nodded in agreement.

"Roberto leaving was the best thing for everyone, but losing Richter, Shatterstar and Amara really put us behind the eight ball." James said grimly.

"What did he do this time?" Danielle asked.

"He got the idea that he should be in charge instead of Sam." James said.

"Bottom line is we need some new blood." Sam said. He felt betrayed by Roberto and he didn't want to dredge up anymore bad memories. They'd been friends for years, but he never realized Roberto was so jealous of him.

"We want ye to come and fight with us Dani…we want ye on X-Force." Theresa said as everyone looked at her expectantly. Danielle suddenly felt very uncomfortable, she'd been putting this off as long as she could, telling them she'd think about it, but now she had to make a decision and they weren't going to like it.

"I don't think I'm ready…." Danielle stammered. "I just got my powers back…I need time to readjust."

"We're not rushing you." James said reassuringly. "But we know it won't take you long to get your edge back and we could really use your help…we don't have anyone with psychic powers now that Cable is gone." He explained.

"Yeah, and you're one of us Dani…we've all missed ye so." Theresa said. "Ye won't have to go on every mission…Rahne's a teacher now too and we'll work it out with both of ye."

"Dani, wha's wrong?" Rahne asked, sensing her apprehension.

"They're calling you guys terrorists." Danielle said. "Part of me knows what you're doing is right, but part of me agrees with Scott and Emma that you're endangering the school by attacking Trask Industries…I don't think I'm quite cut out for this _new_ team." She said as an awkward silence descended. Trask Industries' government contracts and status as a "legitimate" business made attacking them a far different matter than attacking Reavers, RIGHT, or the Sapien League and Danielle was worried X-Force might bring down the wrath of SHIELD on the school. Professor Xavier was trying to handle the matter of Trask Industries and their sentinels legally, but after the death of sixteen million people, Sam and his team weren't willing to trust the courts or the government.

"Terrorists?" Sam said after a moment, hardly believing Danielle had just said that.

"Is _**this**_ what ye learned in college?" Theresa asked sarcastically.

"I know better." Danielle said defensively as even Rahne gave her a disdainful look. "But the world hates us after what Apocalypse did and the school is the last safe place left for mutants. If SHIELD ever positively identifies you guys, they could shut the whole school down and then where would all the kids go?"

"We're trying to prevent another Genosha Dani!" James said indignantly. "I'd say it's an acceptable risk."

"Everybody calm down." Sam said. "Her argument ain't without merit…it's somethin' I've thought about a lot." He admitted. "But complacency led to Genosha and _that_ led to th' war and now Jean's dead because of it." He said emphatically. "We can't just sit on our asses and react to a crisis once its blown up all over us…we have to be proactive now and hit them before they hit us, before they burn th' school like they burned Genosha."

"What we're doing is no different from the government sending SEALS after _real_ terrorists." Tabitha said.

"Look Dani, we get why Cyclops wants the X-Men to be a _"superhero team"_ again…God knows mutants could use some good publicity after the war, but now they're too afraid to do wha' needs to be done." Theresa said. They'd never been more vulnerable than they were right now and the threats to the school were multiplying.

"Why don't ya come see fer yerself what we're about Dani?" Sam asked. "If ya don't feel comfortable after a mission or two, you can leave; no guilt, no judgment." He told her.

"Fair enough Sam." Danielle said as she reached for another beer and wondered what she'd just gotten herself into. Sam was glad Danielle was still open-minded enough to give them a chance even though he thought she probably wouldn't stay. He really needed a psychic to balance out the team and he had a back up plan just in case Danielle didn't work out. He was the leader, James was the tank, Rahne was the tracker and medic, Theresa and Tabitha could level buildings and he'd just recruited his friend Michael Holmes to be the team's psychic. The former Avenger and SHIELD agent was trained in everything from demolitions to data manipulation and his "jack of all trades" skill set was a huge bonus to the team.

"Why don't ye tell them about the new guy?" Theresa asked as she gave James a mischievous look.

"You didn't." He groaned as he looked at Sam.

"I did." Sam said, grinning like a jackass eating saw-briars.

"I need a _real_ beer." James said with mock indignation. Theresa was a recovering alcoholic and James had switched to non-alcoholic drinks with her. "I know we need help, but the last thing we need is a short, smart-ass Cable clone running around." James said. He and Holmes really didn't _hate_ each other, but they had constantly antagonized each other on their joint missions during the war.

"Too bad, he'll be here tomorrow." Sam said.

"Who?" Danielle asked. "Who'll be here tomorrow?"

"Iron Guardian." James said. "His real name is Mike Holmes…he's an Avenger and a SHIELD agent, or at least he was…he went on two missions with me and Sam back during the war." He explained.

"His names Wrath now." Sam told him.

"That sounds like a super villain." Danielle said.

"He's a good guy Dani, he's just wound too tight." James said. "Must be a prerequisite for SHIELD training."

"Yer're just jealous because he does th' whole _"grim and brooding"_ act better than you do." Sam said, half serious. "We wouldn't have been able to get Cable's psimatar without him, he's a good fighter and a good friend…he didn't think twice about risking his life for us."

"I give him a hard time, but I trust him." James said.

"Why did he quit the Avengers?" Danielle asked. She hated SHIELD and the Avengers because of their actions after the war in Mutant Town and she was appalled that Sam and the others were letting a former agent join.

"He told me he wasn't fightin' th' battles he needed to be fightin' anymore." Sam said.

"What did he expect? The Avengers don't care about mutants." Danielle said.

"Mike's not a mutant." Tabitha said as she took a drink.

"Wait…you're letting some twisted science freak join?" Danielle asked incredulously.

"Nobody knows why he has th' power he does…he doesn't have an X-gene and every genetic test done on him comes back as baseline human." Sam said.

"That's unnatural." Danielle said, hardly believing what she'd just heard.

"So are we." Rahne reminded her. "He's no different than we are."

"Yes he _is_ Rahne." Danielle said. "I know this sounds awful, but why would a human…or whatever he is care about mutants?" She asked. "People have always hated us…they hate us even more because of Apocalypse, but he wants to fight **for** us?"

"What's your problem Dani?" Tabitha asked. "Why does it matter that he's not a mutant? He's a good person and he wants to help us…we've lost over half the team, we need all the help we can get…even if it's a _human_." Tabitha said sarcastically. She'd gone with Sam to meet Mike after he'd contacted them about joining and she'd been impressed with him. He was too serious and she thought he really needed to lighten up, but it was obvious he truly wanted to help them and it didn't matter to her that he wasn't a mutant.

"He resigned his commission in SHIELD and he's giving up leading an Avenger team to come help us Dani…the least you can do is give him the benefit of the doubt." Sam told her. Sam had a lot of respect for Mike; he was giving up a lot to come help them and it had strained his relationship with his family.

Tabitha was right; they needed all the help they could get. Richter and Shatterstar had both quit, Roberto had left to manage X-Corp. Los Angeles office and Amara went with him. Danielle was a full time instructor and Rahne had never wanted to fight in the first place. She was serving as a teaching assistant while she got her degree and neither of them would be going on many missions anymore. James, Theresa, Tabitha and Mike would be his main team now that Cable, Domino, Bishop and Sage had left to pursue other goals.

"I'll help ye as much as I can Sam." Rahne said quietly, "But I ne're really wanted tae fight, I did it because I had tae, but now I know wha' I'm supposed tae do. I'm going tae be a teacher and help these kids th' way Jean and Ororo helped me."

"Rahne, you've always been th' strongest and th' bravest. You got nothin t' prove…you kept us together when even Ah wanted to give up and you'll always have a place in X-Force." He said. "The schools gonna go public soon and we need good teachers. Ah can't think of a better one than you…what yer're doin is every bit as important as th missions." He reminded her. "Ah know this is what ya really want…what'll make ya happy and Ah'm proud of ya, we all are." He said as they finished their beers. Danielle got up and walked outside and Rahne could see something was troubling her.

"Wha's wrong Dani?" Rahne asked as she stepped out onto the street.

"I'm alright." Danielle said, looking up into the night sky.

"We've been friends tae long." Rahne said as she put her arm around her. "Now wha's goin on?"

"I feel like I don't belong anymore." She sighed. "I've been gone too long…."

"This is still yuir home and we're still yuir family." She said, trying to comfort her. The past three years had been terrible for her, she'd lost her powers and with them her sense of identity. She'd tried to rebuild her life, but she felt she didn't belong anywhere and she'd been depressed and angry for a long time. Ororo had convinced her to stay when she'd brought Sofia to the institute and Sam had offered her a place on the team once her powers were restored by her ward, Josh. Danielle had her powers and her life back, she had a purpose, but the team had changed so much since she'd been away that she felt like an outsider.

"Thanks Rahne…but I feel guilty I didn't fight with you in the war." Danielle admitted.

"Dinnae do this tae yuirself Danielle, I'm glad ye were nae a part of tha'…it changed all of us…and nae fer th better." Rahne told her. "I know things are different now, but I still love ye." She whispered. She'd tried to keep Danielle from leaving and she'd cried for a month after she had; she was the big sister she'd never had and it nearly killed Rahne to lose her. She'd been there to comfort her so many times when she was sad and battling the demons Reverend Craig had cursed her with, but now it was Rahne's turn to offer love and support to Danielle.

* * *

**Later that Night**

'_I didn't take anything from her and I won't let her take anything from me.'_ Tabitha thought as she lay there in bed. She knew it was foolish to feel so threatened by Danielle, after all, Sam loved her and he'd never do anything to hurt her and neither would Rahne. Still, they were the first people to ever treat her with respect and dignity and the thought that they might be taken away from her was the only thing that really frightened her anymore.

"I love you." Sam said as he lay down next to her and kissed her on the cheek. Tabitha rolled over facing him as he put his arm around her and snuggled next to her.

"I love you too." She said as she gently rubbed her hand across his bare chest.

"Yer're not worried about Dani coming back to th' team are ya?" Sam asked.

"No."

"Good." He said as he held her a little closer. "Ah know she's been through hell these last three years, but Ah swear, Ah don't know her anymore." he sighed. "Ah was hoping she'd be our voice to th' X-Men…somebody who could walk in both worlds, but she sounded just like Scott and Emma tonight."

"Rahne can do that." Tabitha told him.

"They don't respect Rahne." He said bluntly. "If Jean was still alive, she'd listen to her…damn I miss her." He said.

"I miss Jean too." Tabitha sighed. "She was the only thing close to a mother I've ever had."

"Ah'm scared to think what's gonna happen t' this place when Xavier dies." Sam said. "We're only here because he feels guilty about what happened to us. Once he's gone, Scott will throw us out and it's gonna be even harder to keep these kids safe."

"I know." Tabitha sighed. "I wish Ro was team leader instead of head mistress…she knows what it takes to keep these kids safe…she gets it." She told him.

"Yeah, she does…maybe I can work somethin' out with her." Sam said.

"I know you can." Tabitha told him. "You'll find a way through this…you always do." She said as she snuggled close.

"I love you." He said as she kissed him and they settled in for the night.

* * *

**Earth 730 Historical Context**

*The battle for Genosha occurred ten years earlier and did not involve any of the New Mutants.

*Magneto took control of Genosha and built the tiny nation into a superpower.

*Genosha was destroyed three years ago by an army of Nimrod's sentinels from the future after Magneto was defeated and incarcerated by the X-Men.

*Apocalypse launched a devastating surprise attack two years ago in the aftermath of the Genoshan purge.

*Apocalypse was defeated and utterly destroyed by Cable's X-Force and his sister Rachel from an alternate timeline.

*The Original New Mutants: Sam, Danielle, Rahne, Roberto and Theresa. They were later joined by, James, Illyana, Tabitha and finally Richter.

* * *

**Next Issue: Wrath arrives, but he's not alone...Surge makes her X-Force debut!**


	2. X-Force 2: Fallen Angel

The X-Force, a special operations unit formed by Charles Xavier's former students, the New Mutants, stand ready to strike at the enemies of the mutant race. Their aggressive approach to the conflict between humanity and the mutants has put them at odds with their mentor and the X-Men. However, with the mutant nation of Genosha reduced to ashes and anti-mutant hysteria raging after the war with Apocalypse, the X-Force may be the best hope for the survival of the mutants.

**Previously**

Danielle Moonstar has recently returned to the Xavier Institute after a long absence. Danielle was tortured and depowered by Colonel Stryker, head of the **M**utant **R**esponse **D**ivision, several years earlier. She left behind her best friend, Rahne Sinclair and her adopted family, the New Mutants, hurting them all deeply. She recently had her powers restored by Josh Foley an Omega level healer and she has become a teacher at the institute as well as Josh's legal guardian.

Danielle is happy to be reunited with her friends, especially Rahne, but she's shocked by how much they've changed since the war. She also feels threatened by Tabitha Smith who has become Rahne's best friend during her absence as well as Sam Guthrie's girlfriend. Danielle felt that she didn't belong anymore and Rahne tried to comfort her, but it did little to ease her resentment of Tabitha. Sam also revealed that X-Force has a new member, but he isn't a mutant, leading Danielle to wonder why he's joining.

This Issue:

X-Force: Cannonball, Boomer, Mirage, Wrath, Wolfsbane

X-Men: Wolverine, Dr. Nemesis, Forge

Students: Surge, Hellion, Elixir, Mercury, X-23, Prodigy

* * *

**X-Force # 2: Fallen Angel**

**Xavier Institute – Westchester New York**

"This is private property; get out of here before I call the police." Julian said bluntly to the Asian girl standing on the other side of the institute's main gate. He'd been out for a run and had come upon this blue haired girl in dirty, tattered clothes looking forlornly at the locked gate, defaced by anti-mutant graffiti. She was filthy, he could smell her from where he was standing and he thought she must be an addict so he didn't want to have anything to do with her.

"Wait! I need help! Please let me in!" She pleaded.

"I don't have any change, go look for a handout somewhere else." He scoffed as he turned and walked back up the driveway toward the mansion. The poor girl turned and started to walk back toward town as she began to cry. She'd thought the Xavier Institute was supposed to be a safe place for people like her, but they didn't want her either.

_'What am I supposed to do now? I can't keep living like this.'_She thought. Strong as she was, she'd hit rock-bottom and she felt like giving up, she didn't know what to do or where to go now. Her family had disowned her, she was homeless, hungry and no one cared about her at all. She was almost back to the main road when she looked up and saw an orange Boss Mustang coming toward her so she walked to the side of the driveway to let it pass, but it slowed down and stopped.

_'What now?'_ she thought as the driver got out and walked toward her. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, he was white and about 5'9" and 186lbs of pure muscle. He was wearing cargo shorts, athletic shoes and a t-shirt. He had a kind look in his eyes, but the scar running down his forehead, through his eyebrow and onto his cheek along with his military haircut made him seem intimidating.

'_You mess with me and you'll regret it…'_ She thought as she backed away.

"You need help?" He asked in a very deep voice, with a very heavy southern accent. She took another step back; life on the street had taught her not to trust anyone, especially not some guy offering to _"help"_ her.

"Back off or you can ride the lightning." She said coldly as he eyes began to glow blue.

"Whoa, it's alright." He said. "I'm not some pervert, I'm with...th' X-Men…what else would I be doin' here?" He asked, trying to reassure her. He could sense her fear and anxiety with his telepathy, but it was obvious she was tough and resourceful as well and she'd fight if she had to.

"You want to make fun of me too?" She asked angrily as she wiped her eyes. She was mortified he'd seen her crying, but she was so beaten down she just couldn't help it.

"No." He said emphatically. "I want you to come back with me…this is a safe place fer mutants." He said, trying to reassure her.

"I'm not welcome." She told him, unable to hide the pain in her voice.

"Who told you that?" He asked. She was about the same age as his youngest sister and it was breaking his heart to see her homeless, hungry and treated so badly. She was a mess and she smelled so awful he was about to gag, but he had to help her.

"That asshole at the gate." She told him.

"Whoever that was, he doesn't speak fer th' institute." He told her. "They won't turn ya away…I'm not even a mutant, but they accepted me."

"You're…normal?" she asked, completely shocked.

"I'm _different_…th' thing is, nobody knows what I am." He said. "I've got powers, but I don't have th' X-gene, I'm not a science freak or an Inhuman…I'm just weird." He explained. "If they'll let me in, they'll take you too…come on, I'll give ya a ride."

"So…you're some kind of superhero too?" She asked. She was still a little unsure; he seemed like a nice guy and she wanted to trust him, but she wasn't naive. She'd been on the street too long and seen too much to let her guard down so quickly.

"I used t' be." He said. "I was with th' Avengers." He told her. He hadn't left under the best circumstances and he wasn't one to brag, but he thought it would help her trust him. There were a lot of Avenger teams and most of them didn't get much recognition, but just being an Avenger carried a certain amount of prestige even if you weren't on the main teams with Captain American and Falcon.

"What team?" She asked. She was beginning to feel more comfortable now; she knew she could trust him if he was really an Avenger.

"Fallen Angels." He told her. "We helped Big Hero Six save Japan a few years ago."

"I know, I'm from Tokyo." She told him. The Fallen Angels had just graduated from the Avengers Academy and were still a junior team at the time, but they'd helped Japan's hero's smash Ultron's evil robot army that was attacking Tokyo. He went by the codename Iron Guardian back then and his teammates were Songbird, Justice, Dark Hawk and Bedlam. She was ten at the time and she'd been almost as impressed with them as she was with Big Hero Six.

"You convinced I'm not a pervert now?" He asked.

"Maybe…" She said.

"Come on." He said as they walked back to his car. "Recognize this?" He asked as he opened the trunk and pulled out his helmet. She was surprised by how scarred and battered it was now, but she still recognized the helmet and the armor and now she knew everything he'd told her was true and that she could trust him.

"Yeah…I believe you." She said.

"Good, now what's yer name?" He asked.

"Noriko Ashida." She answered. He was really impressed by how well she spoke English and he wondered how long she'd been living in America. She might be homeless, unloved and in a dark place emotionally, but there was a certain strength about her and he respected that.

"You speak really good English Noriko, I'm impressed." He told her. "My Japanese leaves a lot to be desired." He admitted.

"Thanks, what's your real name?" She asked him.

"Mike Holmes." he told her.

"So…your powers don't come from your armor?" She asked. He looked really strong, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about his appearance and she was still trying to understand how he could have powers without an X-gene or some form of artificial genetic manipulation. Freakspin .com said his powers came from his armor, but they didn't have much information on him and she wasn't surprised they were wrong.

"That armors nothin' special and neither am I." He admitted. "I'm not really super at all…I've got "peak" human strength, speed, agility, durability, senses, healing just like Captain America, but I'm telepathic too." He said. Taken individually, his powers weren't impressive at all, but combined they made him a dangerous opponent.

"Wait, you can read my mind?" She asked suspiciously.

"I'm not like that." He said, trying to reassure her. He didn't blame her for being suspicious; he wasn't comfortable around telepaths either even though he was immune to psychic mind probes. "I have enough bad memories of my own…I don't need anyone else's." He told her.

"How 'bout you? What can you do?" He asked her.

"I…absorb electricity." Noriko said nervously. She couldn't control the absorption and she'd already had several accidents, leading to her current situation. She was spending almost everything she could beg or steal on power inhibiting drugs but she still couldn't control her powers and she was desperate for help.

"You can't always control it can ya?" Mike asked. It would certainly explain why she was so filthy and why she hadn't gone to a church or a shelter for help.

"Getouttamyhead!" She yelled as she got angry and her eyes began to glow blue again. She couldn't believe he'd done that to her; he just said he was better than that and she thought he'd lied to her.

"I'm not in yer head, I'm just observant." Mike said, trying to reassure her. She was close enough to his car to start absorbing electricity from its battery and her speech was beginning to become erratic. He realized just how serious her condition was and he knew he had to get her help immediately. "My best friend Bedlam had a power kinda like yers and he couldn't control it either." He told her. "He even tried takin' electro inhibitors, but nothin' worked till he came here and saw Dr. McCoy." He said.

"Can he _really_ help me?" Noriko asked as she began to calm down. She realized she'd overreacted; it was obvious he really wanted to help her and she knew she should trust him.

"Yeah…you don't have to live like this anymore." Mike told her. Noriko hesitated for a moment before she handed him her tattered backpack; everything she had in the world was in there.

"I thought so." Mike said. A bottle of pills had fallen out of the side pocket of her backpack when he tossed it in the trunk next to his duffel bags and armor. "These things ain't good fer ya Noriko…they seem like they're helpin', but they'll give ya cancer." He told her as he picked up the bottle.

"Idon'thaveachoice." She said as tears filled her eyes. "I'llexplodeifIdon'ttakethem!"

"It's ok…I'm not judging you, but I can't give these back to ya either." He said as he put them in his pocket. "I've seen th' damage these things can do…they nearly killed Bedlam." He told her.

"Ok." Noriko said reluctantly. She didn't realize they were so dangerous, but she really didn't have a choice. Her powers were so unstable; she might have killed herself or someone else if she hadn't taken the pills.

"I promise I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Now let's get you some _real_ help." He said, grateful she was finally willing to trust him.

"I'm sorry…I know I stink…Ican'tstanditeither, but I can't bathe, I'delectrocutemyself." She said as they got in and he rolled down the windows. He'd gone weeks without bathing during the war and he knew how awful she felt so he tried not to make a big deal about it and humiliate her even more.

"It's not that bad, don't worry about it." He told her. "One time we got slimed by this big ass monster in Times Square…that was th' worst…it took a week to get th' stink off my armor and th' others had to burn their costumes when we got home."

"What happened? Why aren't you guys still a team?" Noriko asked, straining to control her voice and speak at a normal rate. Holmes noticed the clock and the lights on the instrument panel going dim as Noriko continued to siphon off power.

"Th' war…a lot's changed since you saw us in Japan." He told her.

"I'msorry." She said.

"It's ok…but it's not somethin' I like to talk about." Mike said. "Here, have somethin' to eat." He said as he handed her a pack of crackers he'd picked up when he'd stopped for gas. He wanted to change the subject and he didn't need telepathy to know Norkio was famished. It really made him angry that someone had chased her away from the institute and he couldn't imagine one of the X-Men acting like that. He was still haunted by all the pain and suffering he'd seen during and after the war, but he was going to make sure Noriko got the help she needed.

_"What do **you **want?"_ A gruff voice asked as they pulled up to the gate and he reached out and hit the call button on the security console.

"Yeah, I missed you too…now open th' damn gate Logan." Mike said. He was definitely not looking forward to being under the same roof as Wolverine, but at least they were on separate teams and hopefully they could avoid each other.

* * *

**Meanwhile**

"Did he get lost?" Tabitha asked as she joined Sam, Danielle and Rahne on the front steps of the institute. Holmes should be here by now and she and Sam had plans for the afternoon, she didn't want to be waiting all day. It was so hard for them to get a quite moment together anymore between his duties as leader, her classes, their training and missions.

"He's coming." Sam reassured her.

"Hey Rahne…Mike's been through a lot, but give him a chance ok?" Tabitha asked. "He's almost as hot as Sam and I think he's Christian too…ya'll might be really happy together."

"Maybe…." Rahne said. She was lonely and she really wanted a relationship like Tabitha had with Sam, but it was hard to be optimistic after everything she'd been through. Her first love had died in her arms after saving her life and Richter had broken her heart. Rahne knew better than to get her hopes up after all that and she still had emotional issues from her past and the war that most guys wouldn't want to deal with.

"I know it hurts babe, but you can't give up…I wouldn't have Sam if I had." Tabitha said quietly as she put her hand on Rahne's shoulder. She been there to comfort her friend after her relationship with Richter ended and she knew her confidence was still a little shaken.

"Thanks Tabby." Rahne said appreciatively as she reached up and put her hand on Tabitha's. Tabitha always seemed to know how to cheer her up and Rahne was so thankful she was a part of her life. Tabitha hadn't been exaggerating the night before when she called Rahne her sister. Rahne felt the same way after everything they'd been through together and their love for each other was much deeper than friendship.

"Be careful furtop…superhero relationships almost never work out." Danielle said glumly. All of her relationships had been unfulfilling with the exception of Sam and she was still kicking herself for breaking it off with him. Seeing how Tabitha had taken her place with both Sam and Rahne filled her with jealousy and anger at how her life had turned out.

"_We_ make it work out." Sam said emphatically, putting her arm around Tabitha. Sam was completely committed to Tabitha and their relationship always came first despite his responsibilities as leader. It wasn't easy and they had their arguments, but they were in love and nothing was going to come between them.

"Where are Terry and James?" Danielle asked; eager to change the subject. She hadn't seen them all morning and she'd gotten up early; she couldn't understand why they weren't here to meet their new teammate.

"Terry's dad came to New York for a case a few days ago…Jimmy took her to see him." Sam explained. "He's gonna be leaving tomorrow."

"Are they getting along any better?" She asked.

"A little bit…yeah." Sam said. He loved his father and he missed him everyday; he felt terrible that Theresa's father had ruined their relationship with alcoholism. Danielle was happy to hear that, they'd all lost one or both parents at a young age and it made her feel good to know that Theresa and her father were making progress.

"Mike's here." Tabitha said as she saw his car coming down the driveway.

"I like th' car." Rahne said as Mike and Noriko pulled up and parked in the driveway. It was the same color as her bike, so of course she liked it and it looked like it had some special work done to it as well. Danielle still couldn't get used to seeing Rahne on that motorcycle, she'd never expressed any interest in them when she was younger, but she clearly loved it. She was finally seeing the real Rahne Sinclair and while it was still a bit of a shock for her, she was so happy for her friend.

"Hey Mike, it's been a while." Sam said as he, Tabitha, Danielle and Rahne walked up to greet Mike and his guest.

"Yeah, it has Sam." Mike said as he shook hands with him. "Thanks fer givin' me a chance." He said. He'd been on edge all day and seeing his friend again made him feel a little better. He'd left behind his whole life when he left the Avengers and he didn't know if everyone here would be as open minded about him as Sam and Tabitha.

"You've met Tabitha and these are ma best friends Rahne and Danielle…who's this you've brought with ya?" Sam asked as he noticed Noriko standing beside his car looking really uncomfortable_._

_'Just like Mike….he hasn't changed at all.'_ Sam thought. He could be hard as nails when he had to be, but under that hard-ass facade was a good heart and he was always trying to help kids in Noriko's situation.

"This is my friend Norkio…she needs a place to stay." Mike said as he motioned for her to join them. Tabitha took one look at the scared, dirty, homeless girl and her heart broke for her as she remembered her own life on the streets.

"I know what you've been through." She said as she walked over to Noriko. "My dad used to beat the hell out of me, so I ran away and lived on the streets…I thought my life was over and that no one would ever love me, but this place and these people changed my life." Noriko looked into Tabitha's eyes and knew she was telling the truth and she was so happy to finally have a home and people who cared about her again.

'_Get her to Doc _**_now _**_Tabby, she can't control how much energy she absorbs and she'll blow sky-high if you don't hurry.'_ Mike warned her through his telepathy. He didn't want to embarrass Noriko more than he already had, or cause a panic among the students.

"Come on Noriko, get your things and I'll take you to see the Beast; he'll fix you right up." Tabitha said as she put her arm around Noriko's shoulders and they walked back to Mike's car. Noriko was touched, most people couldn't stand to be within ten feet of her, but Tabitha wasn't letting it stop her and she knew she really cared about her.

"Thank ye fer bringing her here." Rahne said as she looked at Mike admiringly. He really seemed like a nice guy, helping Noriko the way he had, and she had to admit she liked his voice and thought he was pretty good-looking despite the scar on his face.

"I found her at th' end of th' drive…she said some punk told her she wasn't welcome here." Mike said.

"If I ever find out who it was; they'll regret it." Danielle said angrily. Noriko was a mess, but the institute was open to any mutant who needed help and she was appalled someone had turned her away like that.

"Is she a war orphan?" Rahne asked.

"No, she's actually from Tokyo." Mike told her "She said her powers are outta control…that's how she ended up on th' street…and that's why she's been takin' mutie chill-pills." He said; handing Rahne the bottle he'd taken from Noriko.

"Och…these bloody things will kill her." Rahne said examining the bottle.

"Yeah…I know, but she probably hasn't been on 'em long enough t' do permanent damage." He said. "I don't think she's eaten anything in a day or two, can you and Tabitha feed her…and give her a bath too?" He asked.

"Dinnae worry about yuir friend…we'll take care of her." Rahne said as Tabitha and Noriko returned from retrieving her backpack. Mike noticed the cross she was wearing and he felt better knowing he was leaving Noriko in the care of a good Christian girl like Rahne. He also couldn't help but notice how beautiful Rahne was and he hoped to get to know her better.

"It'sthatasshole!" Noriko exclaimed as Julian and Josh walked down the steps and headed out to the garage. Noriko was furious and she started to confront him, but Mike beat her to it. It was like someone had flipped a switch and his demeanor changed instantly as he walked up and grabbed Julian by the shoulder.

"Hey smart-ass!" Mike snapped. "You owe my friend an apology!" He yelled as he shoved him back toward Noriko. Julian was shocked to see the blue haired Asian girl he'd been so rude to with X-Force and this burly new guy and he knew he was in big trouble.

"What the hell Mike?!" Danielle exclaimed. "You need to explain yourself!" She said sternly as she glared at Holmes.

"_This_ arrogant punk is th' one told Noriko she wasn't welcome." Mike hissed. "But I'm sure it was all a big _misunderstanding_ and he was just about to apologize." He said sarcastically.

"I…I don't know what you're talking about." Julian stammered as Mike gave him a disdainful look.

"Liar." Rahne said. Her senses were so acute, even in her natural form, that it was impossible to lie to her. She was disgusted by Julian's arrogance and she was glad Mike had come by when he did or poor Noriko would still be on the street. She and most of her friends had come from broken homes and poverty and they didn't take anything for granted the way Julian did.

"Tell her you're sorry and get your butt back in the house, you're not going anywhere except Storm's office." Danielle ordered. As a teacher _and_a member of X-Force, she commanded the respect of the new students and even Julian wasn't arrogant enough to defy her.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have been rude to you." Julian said grudgingly. He was absolutely mortified and Noriko took pleasure in his humiliation. Danielle excused herself and marched him back inside to see the head mistress. She was furious with Julian for treating Noriko so disrespectfully and she wasn't really thrilled with the way Mike had handled the situation either. She wasn't impressed by the tough-guy attitude he'd displayed confronting Julian and despite the fact he'd helped Noriko, she thought he was a jerk.

"Welcome to mutant school." Sam said as he shook his head and turned back to Mike.

"Come on, I'll give ya a hand movin' in." He said.

* * *

**X-Force Briefing Room**

**-Later-**

Sam had given Mike a tour of the institute; they'd had lunch and talked about his position on X-Force. Mike was an excellent fighter with years of experience fighting with the Avengers and SHIELD. He was also a skilled marksman and physically superior to Captain America, but his telepathic powers were his main contribution to the team. They were ideal for interrogation, covert missions and his psychic immunity made him perfect for confronting telepaths. His special operations training from SHIELD was a huge advantage to the team as well, he was cross trained in multiple skill sets, from demolitions to data manipulation and while he might not be the strongest fighter or a master of any one discipline he could quickly adapt to any mission. The X-Men were a shield for the mutant race, but X-Force was a sword, seeking out enemies and destroying them before their evil plans could be realized. Sam now had a deadly new weapon in his arsenal; the fact that Mike passed for human was a huge advantage. He could infiltrate the Reavers, Trask Industries or any of the other anit-mutant organizations X-Force was sworn to destroy.

Mike was thoroughly impressed by the briefing Sam gave him on his teammates and he was proud to be able to serve on such an incredible team. He knew Sam, aka Cannonball was a powerful fighter and nearly indestructible, but his ability to lead, plan and improvise was amazing. Tabitha's plasma powers were devastating and she had been trained by Sage, so she was skilled in hacking and data manipulation as well. "Boomer" might be impulsive and the clown of the group, but she was not to be taken lightly and she had Mike's respect. Theresa, aka Siryn was a capable leader as well; fully able to lead a squad if the team was spilt and her sonic screams could level buildings and foes alike. James, aka Warpath was a tank, almost unstoppable with strength that made even Hulk take notice. His tracking abilities were second only to Rahne's and his survival training had saved the team on several occasions. Danielle and Rahne had incredible gifts as well and Mike was fascinated by Danielle's ability to generate psionic plasma and shape it into weapons. "Mirage's" fear conjuring telepathy and astral projection made her quite a formidable opponent. Rahne a.k.a. Wolfsbane might be small, but she was a terrifying opponent with superhuman strength, razor-sharp claws as well as superhuman agility and healing. Rahne was the best tracker on the team, but she'd also been trained in emergency medicine by her mother, Dr. Moira MacTaggert and she'd saved both Roberto and James' lives during the war.

"Strike first, strike hard and leave no traces" Sam said as he explained the team's mission to Mike. "Just like th' old days, except now its terrorists and "legitimate" business instead of a time travelin' tyrant."

"Legitimate my ass." Mike snorted as Sam called up the files on Trask Industries on the briefing room's view screen. "I thought they were done after Genosha, but everything got swept under th' rug and I don't believe fer one minute they destroyed th' Nimrod prototypes or their research on them."

"Neither do Ah." Sam said grimly. "Those things burned Genosha to th' ground and murdered sixteen million people…but Trask got a pass because they were mutants…"

"Sam…I'm sorry…they knew what was happening, but they didn't activate us till it was too late." Mike said. He'd never been so ashamed and disgusted in his life as he was that day and he still felt guilty even though he hadn't learned of the attack until hours after it began. Genosha had been a threat under Magneto's rule, there was no denying that fact, but after his defeat and imprisonment the country had been in the grip of civil unrest and the once mighty Genoshan army was struggling just to keep order. Nimrod's plan was masterfully executed, it had chosen the perfect moment to strike and as it predicted, the human race did practically nothing to prevent the genocide.

"_You_ don't have anything to apologize fer Mike." Sam said emphatically. "It was th' president's decision, not yers." He said. That was true, but it didn't help ease Mike's guilt. SHIELD had buried the truth about the sentinels because they were still the best defense against mutants and the Avengers hadn't spoken out against it. They'd placed limits on their artificial intelligence and they thought they had everything under control, but Mike and several others thought they were deluding themselves. The sentinels had destroyed the human race once and it was madness to allow them to exist.

Mike was still haunted by what he'd seen on that island; he'd fought Nazi madmen, genocidal robots, alien lizards, Islamic radicals and even the evil legions of hell, but nothing could have prepared him for Genosha. It was a horror beyond words, putrid black smoke from the fires blocked out the sun and mixed with the stench of death. There were bodies everywhere, burned, mangled bodies everywhere you looked; it was so horrible he wished he'd never been born to see it. The sight of those dead kids, their faces twisted in fear and agony, still kept him up some nights all these years later. Faced with such an unimaginable horror, he'd actually questioned his faith, but in his heart he knew that God hadn't allowed this to happen, people had and he began to question the government, SHIELD, himself and humanity in general.

"We could have stopped th' war from ever happenin' if we'd saved 'em." Mike said. Apocalypses had detected the disruption in the time stream and seized the opportunity to conqueror the world and prevent his nemesis Kang from ever coming to power in the future. Mutants had flocked to Apocalypse when he'd first appeared; sixteen million people had just been murdered and he portrayed himself as a "mutant messiah" who had been blessed by the Celestials and come to deliver his people. Unfortunately, he was a mad tyrant and both humans and mutants had suffered horribly for months before he was finally destroyed by the Avengers and X-Force. Now mutants were being blamed for starting the war and the current administration was only to happy to use them as a scapegoat.

"Mike…I'm not sure I still believe th' professor's dream is possible, but it's still worth fightin' fer…we can't be complacent like we have been, but we can't be like Magneto either." Sam told him. He was still so angry that it was hard to keep his focus sometimes, but he knew the best way to honor Jean's memory was to help build the kind of world she wanted, a world safe for everyone.

"I know…I feel th' same way and I won't do anything to start a war…I'm here to stop one." Mike said. "I want those kids and my little sisters to have a better life than we've had."

"Ah knew we could trust ya." Sam said. "Listen, Ah know yer're used t' being in charge of yer own squad, so takin orders from me and Terry might take a little time to get used to, but Ah want ya to know how much we appreciate what yer're doin fer us."

"Ya'll don't ever have t' tell me thank you." Mike said. "And I got no problem takin' orders…certainly not from you." He added. Sam might be a little younger than he was, but Mike had seen him in action first hand and he respected him. Cable had trained them all well, but it was Sam's vision and strength that had shaped X-Force and its mission in the aftermath of the war. X-Force was more than capable of assisting with a cosmic level threat, but their primary focus was keeping mutants safe and that meant tackling street level vermin as well as the heavy hitters. Sam was excellent at prioritizing their missions and Theresa helped with the planning and execution. Mike hadn't met her yet, but if Sam trusted her then she had his respect as well.

"Save th' tough-guy crap fer th' Danger Room." Sam said. "Ah know what ya gave up to come here, and Ah'm sorry yer dad can't respect yer decision…Ah'd give anything fer one more day with ma dad and Ah hate this has come between ya'll." He said.

"I'm sorry." Mike sighed. Sam had been the same way for a while during the conflict, but he had Tabitha to lean on for strength and comfort and Mike didn't have anyone. The Genoshan Purge, the war with Apocalypse and the year he'd spend policing the ruins of New York during the reconstruction had really taken their toll. He hadn't had any reprieve from the horror unlike Sam and the others and he was having a hard time readjusting to normal life. Conflict and carnage were normal; peace and comfort still seemed a little strange to him, but he was in a better place and Sam knew he could help him.

"Its OK, Ah've been there too." He said. "Now, come on, Ah've got a creepy mad scientist and an insane engineer Ah want ya t' meet." He said as he and Mike headed down to the labs to meet Dr. Nemesis and Forge.

* * *

**Sub-Level 1**

**The Engineering Bay**

"Forge, I got the rest of the equipment you asked for." David said as carried a crate of parts into the bay. Forge was hard at work on a set of capacitors for Noriko so she could control the amount of electricity she absorbed and as always, David was amazed at his skill. He'd been Dr. McCoy's lab assistant for six months now, but he was still in awe of the Institute's science team.

"Thanks David." Forge said. Hank had temporarily stabilized Noriko's powers with an injection of medical nanites, but she only had a few hours before the treatment wore off and he had to hurry.

"Hey Forge, you got a minute?" Sam asked as he and Mike walked into the lab. "Ah got somebody Ah want ya to meet." He said as he introduced Mike.

"You didn't tell me yer "insane engineer" was th' CEO of Forge Industries." Mike said as he shook hands with Forge. His company supplied SHIELD with weapons and equipment and Mike had admired him for a long time.

"I'm mostly retired now." Forge told him. "Good to finally meet you Mike…Sam said you're pretty good with a wrench yourself."

"I do alright." Mike told him.

"Good, I've got a few projects you can help with later, but right now I've got to finish these capacitors for the new girl before her powers go crazy again." Forge said as he went back to his work.

"Dr. McCoy can't help her?" Mike asked as he studied Forge's plans for Noriko's capacitor gauntlets. The design was brilliant and he was really impressed that Forge could design and build them so quickly. He wanted to help, but he realized he couldn't keep up with Forge's powers and time was critical.

"No." Dr. Nemesis said bluntly. He'd just come from the medical bay where he'd been assisting Dr. McCoy and Rahne in stabilizing Noriko's powers. "Her DNA is far too damaged; she'll never be able to control her powers without artificial assistance." He said.

"This is our resident mad scientist, Dr. Nemesis." Sam said. "Doc, is Mike, he's our new telepath."

"Your case is rather interesting; I'd like to examine you more closely." Dr. Nemesis said, ignoring Mike's attempt to shake hands. Mike was a little taken aback by Dr. Nemesis; he was wearing a fancy white suit, gloves and a surgical mask. He really did seem like a mad scientist and his manners were atrocious.

"This is why you don't have any friends." Forge said. "The minute you meet someone new you want to stick something in their brain."

"I hate to burst yer bubble Doc, but yer're not gonna find anything. I've been through all this with the SHIELD science corp. and there's nothin' different about my DNA. I'm not some kind of "new human" I'm just a freak of nature." Mike told him.

"I think you'll find I'm somewhat more efficient than those troglodytes and you need a complete physical before you take up permanent residence here anyway." Dr. Nemesis told him.

"Seriously?" Mike asked as he turned to Sam.

"Yeah…we a problem with th' brood a few years back." Sam explained. "Had an outbreak of Badoon flu after th' last space mission and one time there was a Skrull…so yeah, you have to get a physical."

"Take care of Noriko." Mike said to Forge.

"I will." Forge reassured him.

"Ah'll leave ya'll to it." Sam said as Mike, David and Dr. Nemesis turned to leave. "Oh and doc, remember, Ah need _this_ _one_ back in one piece." He joked as Dr. Nemesis gave him a look.

"This is bullshit." Mike grumbled as he followed Dr. Nemesis and David into the lab.

* * *

**The Lab**

"So how can you be a telepath if you're not a mutant?" David asked as he helped Dr. Nemesis prep the medical scanner.

"You don't have to be a mutant to be a telepath." Mike said. "All baseline humans have the potential to develop telepathy and telekinesis." He explained.

"Most don't have the intelligence or the willpower to realize their potential." Dr. Nemesis added.

"It wasn't easy." Mike admitted.

"So…were you born with your powers, or did you change like mutants do?" David asked. He was more than a little intimidated by Mike, but he was fascinated by the unexplained origin of his powers.

"I don't have _powers_." Mike explained. "I'm not super human, I'm peak human and yeah, I was always stronger and faster than th' other kids growin' up, but my telepathy didn't manifest until I hit puberty." He said.

"So you're like Captain America?" David asked.

"Indeed…" Dr. Nemesis said as he stared at him intently, scanning him with his cybernetic eye implants. "He's physically superior to other baseline humans in every way and quite resilient as well, but definitely _**not**_ super human." Dr. Nemesis said as he switched to x-ray vision and examined Mike's bones and muscles.

"Let's get this over with Doc." Mike said. "Do you need a blood sample or somethin'?" He asked. He didn't enjoy being treated like a science project and he had other things to do today.

"No! Nothing so crude as that." Dr. Nemesis said waving off the question like he was shooing flies. "Strip naked and get in the scanner." He ordered.

_'Oh hell…its basic training all over again…'_ Mike thought as the scanner doors closed and he started to undress _'Well, at least there's not forty-nine other naked guys in here.'_ He thought, remembering back to his days in the SHIELD Academy. The guy in line behind him had a reaction to the shots they were all getting and he'd thrown up all over him; the perfect beginning to a _really_ rotten day.

* * *

**The Engineering Bay**

"He's gonna need some new gear Forge…think you can fix him up after ya help th' new girl?" Sam asked as he stepped out of Dr. Nemesis' examining room.

"Not a problem Sam, I'll talk to Mike just as soon as I'm done with Noriko's capacitors." Forge said as he worked. "I've been working on another suit of heavy duty nano-armor…I'll give it to Mike as soon as it's finished." He said.

"Forge…I really want to thank you for all the help, equipment and weapons you've given us…we couldn't keep this fight up without you." Sam told him.

"You don't have to thank me Sam." Forge said. "I just wish there was more I could do to help X-Force."

"You've done enough." Sam said.

"AHHHHHH! Doc! What th' hell?!" Mike yelled from the lad, startling both of them.

"Few bugs to work out yet…don't be such a baby." Nemesis said in a distracted tone.

"You know he's insane right?" Forge asked as Sam looked back toward the door.

* * *

**Thirty Minutes Later**

_'What the hell have I gotten myself into?!'_ Mike thought as stepped off the elevator onto the first floor of the institute. _'I've been here two hours and I'm already taking it in the ass…literally! Damn quack and his "scanner"…I ought to go punch Sam in the mouth.'_ He fumed. He'd just spent the last half hour being poked, prodded and examined by Dr. Nemesis, but he hadn't found anything out of the ordinary about his DNA either. Mike hadn't come to the institute to be his guinea pig and he had a promise to keep to a friend.

He was out walking through the institutes sprawling gardens when he saw two girls sitting on the bench under the oak tree. A young red-haired girl with metallic silver skin was talking with a beautiful black-haired girl with striking green eyes. She didn't seem nearly as involved in the conversation as her friend, she seemed subdued and distant.

"Laura?" Mike asked as he walked up to the two girls. She leaped to her feet, popped her claws and growled at him as soon as she saw him and caught his scent.

"Whoa! Shit! Laura, I'm not here to fight!" Mike yelled as he and Cessily both jumped back in fright. "Nix is worried about ya! She asked me to check on ya!" He explained. She still looked like she wanted to kill him and for a moment he got ready to fight; he was having a hard time reading her emotions and he wasn't taking any chances with her this time around. He didn't want to hurt her, but he'd flatten her with a psi-blast if he had to.

"How do **_you _**know Kiden?!" Laura asked suspiciously.

"We met after th' war." Mike said as he handed Laura a picture he'd let Kiden Nixon take of the two of them to prove he was telling the truth. "My team was assigned to the sector she and her family were livin' in…people treated her like shit because she was a mutant, but I put an end to that and we became friends."

"She told me about you." Laura said after a moments thought. "I am sorry I cut you." She sighed, looking at the scar over Mike's eye. She'd just escaped from the Facility and the sight of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent coming at her had frightened her and she'd lashed out at him. She'd split his ballistic mask and cut his face, arm and chest before escaping into the night, never realizing her wanted to help her. The horror of being forced to kill her mother and the trauma the Facility had inflicted on her throughout her life had been too much and she wasn't about to trust SHIELD or the Avengers.

"It's OK." Mike said quietly as Cessily left to give them some privacy. It was clear Mike was a friend and Laura had finally calmed down enough not to hurt him again. "You hurt me pretty bad, but I made it in alright…I don't blame you fer what happened, it was my fault, I was incompetent."

"You were a threat." She said bluntly. "I did not want to go back…I do not want to be a weapon!"

"I know what th' Facility did to you…what they made you do…it's not yer fault and I don't blame you at all fer attacking me…but I never would have let SHIELD use you like that." He told her. He didn't know who she was at the time, he thought she was just some poor traumatized war orphan and he'd tried to grab her when she'd run from him. He'd realized his mistake too late when she'd popped her claws and her mind was difficult to lock onto, just like Logan's. He was fortunate she wasn't the heartless monster she was created to be or she would have killed him.

"Why do you care?" She asked incredulously. "I have done horrible things…do you know how many people I have killed?" She asked.

"Yeah, and if it had been **_yer_** choice, things would be different." Mike said grimly. "Yer're th' reason I fight Laura…no one should ever go through what you did." He told her. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry I wasn't good enough to protect you…everything that happened to you after that is my fault." He sighed, remembering what Kiden had told him about her and where she'd found her. "Nix" as Mike called her, had told him she'd found Laura drugged and being used as a prostitute by "Zebra Daddy" a notorious pimp and that she'd helped her to free herself. She'd told him that she knew something awful had happened to Laura before the war, it was obvious by the way she talked and her difficulty with emotions and relationships, but she'd been too afraid to ask. She wanted to help Laura and she was afraid she'd run off if she asked too many questions. Mike was already well aware of Laura's past at that point and he was absolutely sick to learn what had happened to her after she'd escaped from him.

After Apocalypse's defeat, most of the low-level Avengers like him were assigned to SHIELD teams to help police and protect the devastated areas of New York City while the reconstruction was underway. He'd witnessed the horror of kids, many younger than Laura, being forced into prostitution and he'd viciously attacked the pimps and crushed their slave ring.

"I can't take back what happened, but I'm here to keep it from happenin' to anyone again." He said. Laura had a difficult time processing emotions and she didn't know how to react to what Mike had just said to her for a moment. It was obvious from his scent that he felt horrible and even she could see that this guilt had been eating at him.

"I do not blame you…and you should not blame yourself." Laura told him as he fought hard to keep from crying in front of her. He felt better, but he was still in a dark place, unable to free himself from the awful truth of what poor Laura had endured. She was damaged, but she wasn't broken and her strength and courage to fight back and overcome her past made him even more determined to fight and ensure that this evil was never allowed to be done to another innocent child.

"Thanks...Nix was right about you." He said after a moment.

"How are Kiden and her family?" Laura asked after a moment. She realized she had been thoughtless not to even call Kiden and let her know she'd found a home at the institute.

"They were fine the last time I saw 'em." Mike told her. "You need to call her and tell her yer're OK." He said as he handed her a scrap of paper with Kiden's number on it. "She really cares about you Laura…I know she's got her problems…damn does she have problems, but she's a good person and you need to treat her better."

"I will." Laura said quietly. She wanted to forget that part of her life and all the pain and humiliation, but she shouldn't forget the one who'd saved her. Kiden had treated her like she was a real person and she never even asked about her past. It didn't matter to her, she just wanted to help and Laura was ashamed she'd made her worry.

"I know you don't need or want anything from me, but I promised Nix I'd watch out fer ya…I keep my promises, so I'd appreciate if you wouldn't try t' stab me again." Mike said as she looked up at him. "Listen Laura…I know I've had a pretty easy life compared to you, but I've seen my share of ugly and I've done some things I'm not proud of. I know what its like to feel dead inside. Yer're not alone." He said as he turned and walked back toward the main building.

"I guess you must know what happened to Laura." Cessily said as met him in the garden. She was Laura's roommate and she'd been trying her best to help her after she'd learned what a horrible life she'd had. Cessily felt terrible because her parents were disgusted by her mutation, but Laura was so lost and hurt that she felt guilty about being so upset.

"Yeah." Mike sighed.

"Will she ever be alright?" Cessily asked.

"That's ultimately up to her." Mike told her. "But with a friend like you, I think she's got a chance." He said, sensing Cessily's concern for her friend. She was hurt and confused herself, but her compassion for Laura was truly moving and Mike was thankful to have met Cessily. He'd seen so much pain and hatred in the world, sometimes he just wanted to give up on the whole human race, but his faith and people like this made him fight back against his own bitterness and anger.

* * *

**Rahne and Tabitha's Room**

**-Later That Evening-**

"Feel better now?" Rahne asked as Noriko came back from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. Dr. McCoy had given her an inhibitor to temporarily nullify her powers and Forge was hard at work on capacitor gauntlets to help her control the amount of energy she absorbed. Rahne and Tabitha had given her a haircut and combed out all the tangles and matted spots for her. She'd been in Rahne's shower for over an hour and she was really pretty now that she was finally clean.

"Yeah, thanks for putting up with me Rahne." Noriko said as she sat down on the edge of Rahne's bed. She'd been filthy, but Rahne and Tabitha had treated her with dignity and they'd spent their whole afternoon taking care of her.

"Tabby and I have both been in really bad situations ourselves…we're happy tae be able tae help ye." Rahne told her.

"I think we're about the same size Nori, so I'm giving you some of my clothes." Tabitha said as she pointed to the pile of clothes on her bed that she picked out so Noriko would have something to wear.

"I found a few things of mine that might fit ye tae." Rahne said. She was only 5'2" and barely weighed 100lbs so most of her clothes were too small, but she'd given what she could as well as her best jacket so Noriko wouldn't be cold in the winter. Rahne and Tabitha had also collected some makeup, feminine products and some jewelry for her so she'd be more comfortable. Noriko was overwhelmed as she looked through the clothes Tabitha had given her. They were really nice clothes and she was touched by Tabitha's generosity and Rahne's kindness.

"Thank you." Noriko said as she wiped her eyes.

"You're welcome, now go try them on." Tabitha said as she and Rahne hugged her. Everything fit and Noriko had just gotten dressed when Forge arrived with her gauntlets. They were big and ugly, but everyone was relieved to see that they worked even better than he said they would.

"I know they're ugly Noriko, but I had to work fast…I'll make you some better equipment next week." He said as he left her with her friends. Noriko thanked him again; she didn't care what they looked like as long as they worked. She was so glad not be lonely, hungry, dirty and homeless anymore that she was having a hard time keeping her emotions in check.

"Wow, you really are beautiful!" Danielle said as she stood in the doorway, admiring Noriko's new look.

"Thanks." Noriko said.

"She been assigned tae yuir squad Dani?" Rahne asked.

"Yeah, you're looking at the newest **New Mutant**." Danielle said proudly.

"New Mutants?" Noriko asked.

"Dani's response team in training." Rahne said. "They're named after our old team." She explained.

_'_That's a really stupid name for a team.'__ Noriko thought.

"I'll show you around and let you meet your teammates, but let's get you settled first…come on, I'll introduce you to your roommate." Danielle said. Noriko wasn't thrilled to have a roommate, but at least she had a room now. Ororo knew Noriko would need time to adjust, but Megan Gwyn seemed to be able to get along with anyone and she would be a good roommate for her.

"Ye know where tae find us if ye need us." Rahne said as Noriko picked up her clothes and followed Danielle.

"They grow up so fast." Tabitha joked. "Well, I'm going to see if I can still salvage date night…why don't you go check on the new guy?" She asked.

"Tabby, he jus' got here, I'm sure he needs some time tae himself tae settle in." Rahne said.

"Rahne, you saw the way he was looking at you and you know he must have a good heart to help Nori the way he did." Tabitha said as she took Rahne's hand and pulled her up off the bed.

"He's smart, he's sweet, he's hot, he's Christian…what are you waiting on? Go get him!" She added. Rahne knew she was right and she was wasn't going to let her past disappointments hold her back anymore so she stopped making excuses and followed her roommate.

The new dorms and classrooms wouldn't be finished for another month, but they'd had to take in the new students and now they were all living on top of each other. It was really crowded in the west wing, where the girls lived, Tabitha and Rahne were supposed to have gotten their own rooms by now, but they'd had to give them up to accommodate the students. Tabitha loved Rahne, but they both needed some space and she'd been spending the night with Sam since they'd move back to the institute. They'd been discussing getting an apartment in town to get some space, but there were a lot of problems with that idea since Sam was the leader and needed to be at the mansion as much as possible.

"We're going out to eat tonight if you want to bring Mike." Tabitha said as Rahne stopped at Mike's door and knocked.

"Hey Rahne." Mike said as he looked up from his books. He was trying to study for his college classes, but he'd been so distracted and angry after his talk with Laura that he really wasn't getting much accomplished. He hadn't wanted company, but the sight of Rahne's beautiful smiling face took his mind away from all the awful things he'd been brooding over and he was glad she'd stopped by to see him.

"Yui're in school tae?" Rahne asked; looking at all the books and papers spread out on his desk.

"Yeah, I'm going back…th' war kinda interrupted things." He told her. "What are you studying?" he asked.

"Education and Biology." She said. Mike was impressed, but Rahne seemed pretty smart so a double major shouldn't be too much for her.

"Wha' about ye? Is tha' Engineering yui're studying?" she asked.

"Yeah…I wanna do something constructive after I'm done fighting…if I'm ever done fighting." He told her.

"I hate fighting." Rahne admitted.

"Yeah…but as long as there's kids like Laura out there, we have too." Mike said, as Rahne nodded in silent agreement. She could tell he was as deeply affected by his experiences during the conflict as she was, but he hadn't lost sight of his reason for fighting. She'd nearly lost herself in the anger and violence as well, but she'd held on to who she was. Rahne still struggled with her anger sometimes, but she found comfort in her faith and in helping the students.

"Sam said ye're a great fighter." Rahne said.

"I get by." Mike told her. He wasn't one to brag about or flaunt his power, but he was highly skilled. His father had enrolled him in martial arts classes when he was eight and he'd instantly demonstrated a talent for fighting. He'd been trained by some of the best in the world since he was fourteen and now he was absolutely lethal in hand to hand combat.

"I wanna believe there's more t' me than that though…I wanna help people like yer're doin'." He said.

"Sam says ye helped a lot of people after th' war…tha' ye stood up fer th' mutant refugees and made sure they got help." She told him.

"I did some things I'm not proud of too." He said quietly.

"We **_all_** did, it was war." She said. "Ye saved a lot of lives Mike and Noriko said yuir're th' only one who wasn't afraid tae helped her." She reassured him as she sat down on the edge of his bed and picked up his bible from his night stand as they talked. She could see from the message his pastor had written inside the cover that he'd received it the day he joined the church and he was Methodist. Rahne had been raised Presbyterian, but there wasn't a Presbyterian Church anywhere near the institute so she'd attended the Methodist Church in town until she learned to drive. She was glad Mike's faith was important to him and she was glad they had something in common besides psychological trauma.

"How's she doin'?" He asked; eager to change the subject. He wasn't proud of how jaded and moody he could be sometimes and he was ashamed of himself for giving in and brooding. Rahne had been fighting most of her life too and she'd been through as much pain as he had, but she obviously still had hope and he admired her for it.

"She's fine; her powers are under control now thanks to Forge and she's safe thanks tae ye." Rahne said with a smile. She was beautiful and he really didn't think he had a chance with her. He'd never been very outgoing, but if he'd learned anything from his time with the Avengers it was to be bold.

"I'm not a fan of tonight's menu, are there any good places to eat in town?" He asked.

"Aye…one or two spots." Rahne said, realizing he was about to ask her out. _'Tabby was right…he really _**_is _**_interested in me.'_ She thought to herself. _'Wes would want me to be happy and I'm not going to let what happened with Ric hold me back.'_ She told herself. It was time to put her fears and regrets behind her and move on with her life.

"Rahne?" Mike asked. "Do you wanna come with me?" He asked, hoping he wasn't coming on too strong for her. Rahne looked tough and ready for anything, but he could sense her emotions and she seemed a little unsure of herself and of him.

"Yeah…I do." Rahne answered. She was flattered he was interested, but they'd just met and she couldn't help but be a little nervous. She'd always been shy, but she was pushing herself to be more outgoing and confident and she really wanted a relationship.

"We could ask Sam and Tabitha to come too." He added, deciding to play it safe and take things slow. Rahne nodded in agreement, a night out with friends would be a really good way to get to know more about Holmes. She didn't know if this counted as a "date" since they'd just met a few hours ago, but Mike was clearly interested in her and she was glad she'd listened to Tabitha.

* * *

**Marcini's – Two Hours Later**

It had been a wonderful evening, the food was great and they were all enjoying each other's company as they sat around the table after their meal. Mike turned out to be a perfect gentleman and Rahne was feeling a lot more comfortable with him now that she'd gotten to know him better. Mike felt at ease for the first time in months and Tabitha was happy to see he wasn't quite as serious as she'd first thought now that he'd finally opened up. She and the others were laughing at his stories from his days in the Avenger's Academy.

"Okay, so let me get this straight…you and this class full of nuts, who are _supposed_ to be learnin' t' save th' world, get trashed, watch **Animal House** and decide to put a horse in th' Avenger's Mansion?" Sam asked as Mike finished his ridiculous story. Mike took a drink of his beer and nodded.

"Yeah, and th' best part is it took a giant dump in shell-head's office." He said as everyone started laughing again.

"That's awesome." Tabitha said as she finally stopped laughing. "I was beginning to think you were born an old man."

"I've had my moments of debauchery." Mike admitted. Tabitha was right though, he'd always been committed and disciplined and he rarely let himself go like that. He was also introverted and while he could seem aloof at times, he _was_ conscious of others feelings and always tried to protect and comfort his friends.

"Where th' hell did ya'll get th' horse?!" Sam asked.

"Off one of those carriages in Central Park." Mike said. "Dude driving it went to th' head and while he was in there, Joystick grabbed the horse and we all took off."

"Joystick was in your class?!" Tabitha asked in disbelief.

"Some of us were there because we wanted to be…but most of 'em were there because it was their last chance…and Janice blew hers." Mike sighed.

"I'm sorry about yuir friend." Rahne said quietly.

"Thanks…well, looks like I managed to kill th' mood…ya'll ready to leave?" Mike asked as he finished off his beer.

* * *

**Back at the Institute**

"Ya'll coming?" Tabitha asked as she and Sam started walking back to the house from the garage.

"We're gonna take a walk Tabby." Mike said as he and Rahne headed off into the garden.

"She's got him hooked." Tabitha said as she watched them disappear into the night. Rahne had changed into a pretty summer dress and she'd even worn her emerald necklace for her first date with Mike. He was trying really hard to impress Rahne as well and it reminded Tabitha of the early days of her relationship with Sam. She loved him more than anything and she wanted Rahne to be as happy as she was.

"Yeah, they seem like they're made fer each other." Sam said as they walked back to the mansion. He loved Rahne and he was very protective of her, but he didn't give a second thought to Mike dating her because he knew the kind of man he was.

"Thank ye fer dinner." Rahne said as they walked together arm in arm.

"Glad you enjoyed it." Mike said. Rahne morphed to her hybrid form and she was impressed that he wasn't taken aback when she changed. She felt a little guilty testing him like that, but most normal people were disgusted by her werewolf form and there were even other mutants who looked down on her, like Monet.

"So where in Scotland is home fer you?" He asked as they walked beneath the trees.

"Th' Isle of Muir" She answered. "It's north of Cape Wrath…do ye know where tha' is?" She asked, expecting him to say no.

"Yeah." He said as Rahne looked at him, genuinely surprised. "My mom's ancestors were Scottish…from clan MacLaren." He explained, seeing the surprised look on her face. "I thought I should learn where I came from." He added.

"I met some MacLarens when we were lost in time…they might ha' been yuir ancestors!" She exclaimed.

"Wait…ya'll jumped through time too?" He asked. He knew the X-Men and New Mutants had saved the world, but he didn't realize they'd been through as much or more than the Avengers before the war. He knew first hand how dangerous time travel could be and he was impressed to say the least.

"Of course, yui're nae a real X-Man till ye've been lost in time." She joked.

"We just had to fight a bunch of evil robots." Mike said.

"I got tae meet King Robert and he even gave me this necklace." Rahne said proudly as Mike bent down and looked at her beautiful emerald set in silver. They'd all had hard lives since they'd become super heroes, but he was glad she had some happy memories as well. She'd helped her country win its freedom and the king must have been very grateful to Rahne to give her such a gift.

"I guess that explains the X on his belt all th' history nerds have been arguing about." Mike said with a laugh. Rahne blushed slightly, she hadn't thought about it when she'd given her belt to the king, but historians had been puzzling over it for years.

"Yea…tha' was me." Rahne admitted as they sat down on the bench under the oak tree.

"Where's home fer ye?" She asked after a moment.

"Greenville South Carolina…we moved back when dad got out of th' Army and my youngest sister was born there." He told her.

"Ye have a big family?" She asked.

"Yeah, most of 'em live around Greenville, but my uncle Randy, my granny and some cousins live in Alabama…I used to get to go stay with 'em a few weeks in th' summer." He said, recalling memories of happier days. "You got any brother's or sisters?" He asked.

"No…it's jus' me and mum." Rahne said. The bond Rahne shared with her adopted mother, Moira, was stronger than blood and their love for one another was genuine and unbreakable.

"Wha' are yuir sisters like?" Rahne asked.

"Well, Anna's nothin' like me...thankfully. She's a lot like Tabitha; she was always getting into something, but she was a good kid and she never did anything _really _bad. We used t' be really close; she's only two years younger than me and kind of a tomboy." He explained. "She was a pest sometimes, but I love her." He added. Rahne smiled, she didn't know him that well yet, but she was sure he was a good big brother, just like Sam.

"Anna just got her masters from Auburn…she's changed a lot while I've been gone." He sighed. Mike had missed out on a lot of Anna's life and he felt guilty he hadn't been there to help her through some tough times she'd had in high school and when she'd started college.

"Wha' about yuir youngest sister?" Rahne asked. She could sense how sad Mike was that he hadn't been there for them when they were growing up, but she knew he needed to deal with his feelings instead of hiding them.

"Mary's th' baby…she's eight years younger than me and six years younger than Anna." He explained. "Anna loves her, but she just wasn't close to her like she was with me…and I've been gone most of her life…she doesn't really know me." He said. "She's smart, beautiful and popular…head cheerleader, homecoming queen, honors student…I think she felt left out being th' youngest and she's tryin' t' make up fer it." He sighed.

"And neither one of 'em are like ye?" Rahne asked.

"No…they're both super intelligent, but they've never manifested telepathy or telekinesis." He told her. "I think Mary might be a little jealous, but I'm glad she's not like me...I don't want this life for her." He said after a moment.

"It's been really hard fer ye tae hasn't it?" Rahne asked.

"Yeah…I always knew I was different. I was stronger and faster than a normal kid growing up and everyone thought I was a mutant. You know what that's like." He answered.

"Th' day I changed was th' worst day of muh life." She said as her voice broke and she tried to keep her emotions in check. She didn't want to start crying in front of him, but it had been a horrible, humiliating experience and she'd had to leave her mother and father to come live at the institute. Mike could hear the pain in her voice and he reached over and put his arm around her to comfort her. Rahne was touched, she'd been reviled and treated like an animal by people she'd known for years, but he wasn't concerned at all with her unnatural appearance and she began to feel better.

"I know..." Mike said gently. He'd lived with the stigma of being a mutant himself and he knew how awful it must have been for her. Mutants weren't natural; they were the result genetic tampering by the Celestials and many people felt they weren't really human. Mike understood the fear and even the revulsion people felt to some extent, but mutants **were** people and they didn't deserve to be hated because of what the Celestials had done to them.

They sat in the moonlight and talked for a long time that night and discovered they had a lot in common. They liked the same music, they liked working on their vehicles, they loved the outdoors and they both shared a strong devotion to their faith. Mike was really impressed with Rahne's character; she was so kind and thoughtful and so genuinely concerned for the children she was teaching. He admired her bravery and her strength, but also her humility after such a remarkable life. He was surprised that Rahne was nearly six years younger than he was. She seemed a lot older, but ultimately it didn't matter to either of them.

Rahne admired Mike's service to his country and his concern for those less fortunate. She was also really impressed by how intelligent he was and she was flattered when he asked her to teach him to speak Gaelic so they could share their pride in their heritage. Mike was everything Rahne wanted, but she wasn't naïve and she knew he was damaged and hurting inside. She had her own trauma from her past and the war to contend with and she knew a relationship would require a lot of hard work and patience from both of them. Despite the challenges they faced, they felt they'd been brought together for a reason and they were quite taken with each other.

* * *

**Next Issue: X-Force battles Cameron Hodge! Secret operative Cypher joins the fight to save the young mutants!**


	3. X-Force 3: Blood and Iron

The X-Force, a special operations unit formed by Charles Xavier's former students, the New Mutants, stand ready to strike at the enemies of the mutant race. Their aggressive approach to the conflict between humanity and the mutants has put them at odds with their mentor and the X-Men. However, with the mutant nation of Genosha reduced to ashes and anti-mutant hysteria raging after the war with Apocalypse, the X-Force may be the best hope for the survival of the mutants.

**Previously**

Noriko Ashida was cruelly turned away from the Xavier Institute by Julian Keller, but she was met by the new member of X-Force, Michael "Mike" Holmes who asked her to accompany him back to set things right. Noriko was welcomed by the team and received the help she desperately needed to control her powers. Meanwhile, Mike tracked down Laura Kinney in order to keep a promise he made to their mutual friend Kiden Nixon.

Rahne Sinclair was touched by the kindness he showed Noriko and came to see how he was settling in. Mike was equally enamored with Rahne and the two began to bond over dinner with Sam Guthrie and Tabitha Smith at a local restaurant. After dinner the pair took a walk in the institute's gardens and grew closer as they talked long into the night.

This issue:

X-Force: Cannonball, Boomer, Wolfsbane, Siryn, Warpath, Wrath, Mirage

X-Men: Cyclops, M, Shadow Cat, Beast, Forge

Students: Pixie, Surge, X-23

* * *

**X-Force # 3: Blood and Iron**

**Xavier Institute – Westchester New York**

**The Next Morning**

Tabitha waked and sighed with contentment as she felt Sam's strong arms around her. This was the most wonderful feeling in the world; she was safe, she was loved, and somebody cared. Growing up, she'd never thought she'd feel this way about anyone, she'd never let herself get too close to any guy, not after the terrible way her father had treated her. All that had changed when she'd met Sam though, he made her feel safe and she trusted him completely, now she couldn't imagine not having him in her life.

"I love ya Tabby, I always will." Sam said as she rolled over and kissed him. They'd been through so much already and while he didn't know what the future had in store for them, he knew they'd always be together. She'd overcome so much and grown so strong; he was thankful he could share his life with her and he made sure she knew how much he loved and respected her. It was times like this when the burden of leadership seemed to weigh on him the most. There was nothing he'd rather do than lie there and cuddle with her; she deserved to be loved, but he had a mission to plan and everyone's lives depended on his decisions.

* * *

**The West Wing - 2nd Floor**

"Hey Terry." Rahne said sweetly as she opened her bedroom door and met Danielle and Theresa in the hallway. "Och, ye look exhausted, how did everythin' go yesterday?" She asked as she hugged her friend.

"We had a good visit." She said. "Dad's not drinking anymore…I think he's serious this time." She said as she returned Rahne's embrace. She'd gotten back really late last night and she was still tired, but she felt better than she had in a long time. She was thankful to have James in her life now, he had helped her through her own struggles with alcoholism and now he was standing by her while she tried to help her father. She was also grateful for good friends like Rahne and Tabitha, who were genuinely interested in her problems and always ready to help her.

"Where's Tabitha?" Danielle asked after a moment.

"Where do ye think?" Rahne asked as Theresa snickered.

"Oh…right." Danielle muttered. _'I'm never getting any.'_ She thought as they all walked down the hall. Sam had gotten away, James was taken, Rahne and Mike were clearly interested in each other and the only single guy in the house close to her age was Bobby. She'd never really been attracted to him, but he'd seemed interested in her since she'd returned, so maybe she would give him a chance. Theresa felt a little sorry for Danielle; growing up, she had always been the one the boys were interested in and Rahne was always left out and lonely. Now the roles were reversed and while Theresa knew Danielle didn't need anyone to take care of her, they all wanted to be loved.

"Where's the new guy?" Danielle asked as they met Sam, Tabitha and James at the top of the stairs. "Don't tell me the _Avenger_overslept."

"He was up and hour ago." James said. Mike had a really noisy alarm clock that had met with an unfortunate end a few minutes ago. "I don't know where he went, probably the Danger Room."

"Wha's he like?" Theresa asked.

"The guy escaped from an 80's movie, he's a real hard-ass." James said. "He's what Cable must have been like when he was twenty-five."

"He is nae!" Rahne protested.

"How would ye know furtop?" Theresa asked. James and Sam had gone on missions with Mike during the war with Apocalypse, but as far as she knew Rahne had never met him.

"They had a date." Danielle explained.

"Already?!" Theresa asked. She was really proud of Rahne for being so bold. Rahne had been devastated by the death of her first boyfriend and it had taken her more than a year to overcome it. She was hurt and confused after her brief relationship with Richter ended and she'd struggled to overcome the trauma she'd endured in the war. She'd seen a lot of pain and disappointment in her life, but she was finally strong enough not to let it hold her back any longer.

'_Yeah, already….'_ Danielle thought. Rahne had made a lot of progress, but she was still a little needy and Danielle thought she was taking things too fast with the new guy. She was still provoked by the way Mike had yelled at Julian the day before and she worried he was too impatient for Rahne.

"It was_nae_ a date!" Rahne exclaimed. "We jus' went tae dinner…Tabby and Sam went too!"

"That's a double date!" Theresa laughed as Rahne blushed a little.

"I guess it was..." Rahne admitted.

"Must have gone pretty well huh?" Theresa asked.

"Yeah…Mike's sweet and we've got a lot in common." Rahne told her. Danielle rolled her eyes, Mike may have helped Noriko, but she had her doubts as to just how "sweet" he really was. She didn't like him to begin with, but when she saw Rahne leaving with him the night before, she'd tried digging into his background to find any excuse to keep her friend away from him.

"I hope it works out fer ye this time." Theresa said. She wanted Rahne to be happy the way she and Tabitha were and if Rahne thought Mike was a nice guy, then he must be.

"Oh it will." Tabitha said. "She's got him hooked." She said as she hugged her blushing friend. Rahne was a little embarrassed that her love life was the center of conversation this morning, but Tabitha was right, Mike was quite taken with her and she felt really good after her first date with him.

* * *

**The Kitchen**

"Thank ya ma'am…this sure beats th' heli-carrier mess hall." Mike said as he ate the breakfast Marilyn had prepared for them.

"I should hope so." Marilyn said, although she was grateful for the compliment.

"Hey Mrs. Hannah! Hey new guy!" Megan squealed as she flew into the kitchen. She was a bundle of energy and never met a stranger. Most people took one look at Mike and assumed he was mean, but she immediately wanted to be his friend.

"Hi Tinkerbell." Mike teased as he took a sip of his coffee. She looked like she'd escaped from a Disney movie, with her pink hair and colorful wings and he couldn't help but be amused by her.

"It's Pixie actually." She said as she sat down beside him. "You're Nori's creepy friend Mike right?" She asked as Holmes laughed and nodded. "My real name is Megan, but you can call me Meg if you want too." She told him. "I think it's great you're dating Ms. Sinclair!" She blurted out excitedly. "She's my favorite teacher…well, she's not really a teacher, but you know…anyway, she's so pretty, I don't know why guys don't pay more attention to her." Mike nearly choked on his pancakes; living with a bunch of teenagers was _really_ going to take some getting used too.

"I really am back in high school." Mike sighed.

"I know, right?" Megan said as she began to pig-out on her pancakes.

"Mornin' Nori." Mike said as Noriko walked into the kitchen, following her roommate.

"Hey Mike…" Noriko muttered. She clearly wasn't a morning person and Megan's exuberance was irritating. She liked her roommate, but she really needed some coffee before she could handle all that energy; it just wasn't natural to be that cheerful in the morning.

"You can have as much as you want dear." Marilyn said as she loaded Noriko's plate with food. She knew she hadn't been getting enough to eat and she was going to make sure she never went hungry again.

"Thanks." Noriko said. She was really grateful for all the food Marilyn had made for her yesterday; she'd nearly gotten sick she'd eaten so much.

"You didn't have anymore trouble out of that asshat from yesterday did ya?" Mike asked as she sat down beside him.

"No." Noriko said. She liked him, but she thought he'd treated her like a damsel in distress yesterday. She didn't appreciate him jumping on Julian the way he had; she could fight her own battles.

"Listen Mike, I know you mean well, but I can handle my own business…don't jump in my fights again…I don't need some _guy_ to protect me." She told him.

"And I don't need militant feminism before breakfast." He said bluntly. He was a little embarrassed by his outburst the day before and he'd already been duly chastised by Rahne. He knew he was wrong, but she sounded ungrateful and it set him off.

"Damn it! I'm serious! I don't want your pity!" She snapped. "I can stand up for myself!" She yelled at him. "I've had to ever since I was thirteen!" She added. Mike regarded Noriko coldly for a moment before he took another sip of his coffee.

_'Good job jackass...'_ He thought to himself. Noriko was used to being looked down on and it was only natural for her to take offense, but he'd given in to his impatient nature, again, and snapped at her.

"You don't have my pity." He said after a moment. "Yer're strong Nori, I respect that...if I'd been thrown out when I was thirteen, I'd probably be dead now." He told her. Noriko was well educated and it was clear to him that she hadn't been born into poverty like his friend Songbird. Noriko must have had a comfortable life at some point, but she'd lost everything and her self-respect was all she had left.

"Look, I'm sorry." He said as he held out his hand.

"Me too...but don't treat me like a kid Mike." Noriko said as they shook hands. Megan was relieved, she hated to see people fight and she didn't really understand why they'd blown up at each other like that.

"Forge does some good work." He said, examining her gauntlets. He was nowhere near Forge's level of genius, but he was gifted and he understood exactly how they worked. Mike knew he was an extraordinary inventor, but he was still impressed. It had only taken him a few hours and they were made out of spare parts and junk from other inventions he had lying around the lab.

"He said they'll really improve my aim…I can't wait to try them out." She said after a moment.

"You wanna be a superhero and fight monsters now?" He asked.

"What else am I going to do?" She asked.

"Anything you want." He answered. "_That's why __I'm __fighting_."

"I know what I'm doing." She said curtly.

"So do I." He said. "I've been doin' this since I was fourteen...I've been shot, stabbed, tortured, beaten half to death, trapped in hell, lost in time, mind raped by a psychotic clone who dresses like Lady GaGa, and nearly eaten by a giant dragon from outer space." He told her. "Be careful what you wish for, _"superhero"_ fights can get **really** ugly." He said. Mike didn't want her to fight, but it was her choice and he respected her courage and her willingness to stand up and fight for others.

"Yeah, it ain't a Saturday mornin' cartoon out there." Sam said emphatically as he and the rest of X-Force joined them. "In th' real world, people die." He added.

"I **know** what I'm getting into." Noriko said as Megan gave her a worried look. Megan could be really naive sometimes, but she was a sensitive girl and she could see how deeply Rahne was affected by what she'd been through. She felt sad that Rahne had been hurt so badly and she didn't want Noriko to be hurt anymore either. She'd seen Noriko crying as she looked at a picture of her family the night before and she really felt bad for her new friend.

"You don't have a clue." Sam said as he served Tabitha and sat down with her to eat. Noriko was indignant; she knew they were just trying to protect her and the other students, but they didn't have the right to decide whether she should fight or not.

"Mornin' Rahne." Mike said as he stood up and pulled her chair out for her.

"Thank ye Mike…ye dinnae ha' tae do all this." Rahne said as he served her plate.

"This one's a keeper Rahne." Theresa teased.

"Terry, this is Cable's other evil clone, Mike." James said as he introduced Theresa to Mike.

"Whatever he's told ya…its all true." Mike said as he shook hands with Theresa. "How ya'll been holdin' up?" He asked.

"Same as always, I guess." James answered.

"That bad?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, I hate to admit, it but we could use some help…even if it's _yours_." James said.

"Mike, is it true you're not a mutant?" Megan asked.

"Yeah, I'm not a mutant." Mike told her.

"What are you?" Danielle asked.

"I don't know…there's not a name fer what I am." Mike said.

"Doesn't it bother you, not knowing?" Megan asked.

"It used too, but then I realized it's not as important what I am, as who I am." Mike told her.

"Wow Mike, that was deep." Tabitha teased.

"I have my moments." He told her.

"Wish it had nae taken me so long tae realize tha'." Rahne said. Mike reached over and gently squeezed her hand. She'd barely mentioned her childhood, but it was obvious she'd had a really rough life and he felt bad for her. Rahne gave him an appreciative look; she'd tell him about her life when she was ready and she was glad he seemed to understand how difficult it was for her.

"What do you do when it's **_who_** you are that's the problem?" Noriko asked despondently as she turned to Tabitha. She already felt a connection to Tabitha and she knew she'd understand. Tabitha knew exactly what Noriko was feeling, but before she could answer they were all interrupted by the arrival of the newest member of the X-Men, Monet St. Croix.

"Pancakes again?" Monet asked in disgust as she walked into the kitchen.

"You're more than welcome to cook for yourself your majesty." Marilyn told her.

"You ought t' be damn grateful ya got somethin' t' eat." Mike said angrily. They never had enough to eat during the war and they usually ended up giving most of their MRE's to starving civilians they rescued. Even a year later he still got emotional as he remembered those kids begging him for something to eat.

"Who the hell are you?" Monet asked angrily as she turned to Holmes.

"Th' token minority." Mike said sarcastically as the other members of X-Force and the students began laughing.

"One of you X-Babies want to let me in on the joke?" Monet asked in a snotty tone. Mike didn't like her disrespectful attitude to begin with, but who the hell did this spoiled brat think she was calling them X-Babies?

"Mike isn't a mutant." James said, annoyed by Monet's condescending attitude.

"Then why don't you go to SHIELD with the other science freaks?" Monet asked bluntly.

"Ya'll have a better dental plan." Mike said, intentionally trying to provoke her.

"You've got a real attitude problem new guy!" Monet snapped.

"Yeah, but it's just a little one." Mike said smugly as everyone started laughing again.

"Mike, dial it down." Sam said. He didn't like the division between the two teams and while he didn't like Monet either, this petty bickering was pointless. Despite his good qualities, Mike was impatient and he always had to be right. Sam knew Holmes' PTSD often made it hard for him to sleep, which made him even more irritable, but he was still disappointed in him for squabbling with Monet like that in front of the students.

"Asshole." Monet hissed.

"That's enough Monet." Scott said sternly as he walked in to get some coffee. She was powerful, with perfect control over her powers, but she was arrogant and lacked maturity. She seemed to delight in creating conflict and Scott was more than a little tired of it. There was already enough tension between the two teams and she was only making it worse by harassing their newest member.

"You're an X-Man now; I suggest you try to act like one." He added. Monet was indignant, but she didn't press the issue, she was sure Scott only tolerated X-Force because the Professor did.

"What's her problem?" Noriko asked as Scott and Monet took their plates to the dining room to join the others.

"Just a snotty rich girl." Tabitha said indignantly. "She thinks she's better than everybody else." Monet had always thought she was better than everyone else because of her powers and her intelligence, but now that she'd been promoted to the X-Men, she was absolutely intolerable. She hadn't fought in the war and she didn't have that much experience, but that didn't stop her from treating X-Force like they were beneath her.

"Yeah…but I can't blame her for asking…it's not everyday one of the high and mighty Avengers suddenly decides to switch sides and fight _**for **_mutants." Danielle said.

"He disnae ha' tae justify himself tae **_ye_** Dani." Rahne said curtly. She didn't like Danielle's tone and she was beginning to realize just how much she'd changed while she'd been away. It broke Rahne's heart to see her act like this and she wondered if Danielle even realized how she sounded.

"I've got the right to know about my teammates Rahne, it's a fair question." Danielle said. She hated SHIELD and the Avengers; they'd let the Genoshans die and then they'd turned Mutant Town into a miniature police state after the war in an attempt to round up all of Apocalypse followers and keep order. She'd heard all kinds of awful stories about a "**mutant massacre**" and about a prison called "**The Cage**" where SHIELD kept the mutants who'd sided with Apocalypse. She'd read Mike's service records; she knew he'd been involved and she was disgusted with him.

"No it's not and you sound like a racist." Tabitha said angrily. She was still put off by what Danielle had said about him at the bar and she didn't particularly like her anyway. She could understand Danielle being bitter about what had happened to her at the hands of Col. Stryker, but Rahne had been treated horribly as well and she wasn't like this.

"Shut up!" Danielle snapped. "I was fighting _**real**_ racists while you were robbing convenience stores!" She said angrily.

"Th' hells got into you Dani!?" Sam asked as he held Tabitha back. He couldn't believe she'd just said something so hateful to Tabitha and he was almost tempted to let her go after Danielle.

"Dani! How could ye?!" Rahne yelled.

"You don't want none of this princess!" Tabitha yelled. "I was fighting **Apocalypse** while you were crying in your pillow feeling sorry for yourself!"

"That's enough!" Theresa yelled, as Sam tried his best to calm Tabitha. "**We** don't wash our dirty laundry in public!" She told them. She was really upset that they were arguing like that in front Megan and Noriko. She knew some people wouldn't be happy that they'd invited Mike to join, but Danielle should have known better than to say something like that in front of her students.

"Danielle, don't mistake our patience fer tolerance." Theresa said as she turned to her friend. "I know ye're still angry about wha' Stryker did t' ye, but…"

"This has _**nothing**_ to do with that!" Danielle interrupted. "I'm not a racist!"

"I'm here to stop th' sentinels Dani." Mike told her. He didn't like having his motives questioned, especially by Danielle who hadn't fought in the war, but he answered her to try to keep the peace.

"You're a little late Mike." Danielle said bitterly.

"I'm glad you want to help us." Megan said as she got up to leave. She was sick of their arguing and she thought Danielle was wrong to treat Mike the way she had. So many Avengers had died fighting Apocalypse and Megan knew Mike must have lost a lot of friends. He had every right to hate mutants after what he'd been through, but he was trying to help them and she wished there were more people like him.

'_Let it go Nori…she's your mentor.'_ Mike said telepathically as he sensed Noriko's anger boiling over. Noriko finally had a safe place to stay and he didn't want her getting on Danielle's bad side because of him.

'_I don't care! She's full of shit! She can't talk to you like that!'_ She protested.

'_I can handle my own business…I don't need you jumping in my fights for me.'_ He told her. _'You don't owe me anything and I don't want you getting in trouble because of me._' He said.

'_I'd still be on the street if it wasn't for you.'_ She admitted._'I'll let it go, but only because you asked me too.'_She said. Noriko gave Danielle a hateful look as she got up and followed Megan out. She didn't want her as a mentor anymore and she was going to ask Ororo to transfer her to Rahne's squad the first chance she got.

"Let's get this over with." Mike said once the girls had left. "What th' hell is yer problem Moonstar?"

"The Avengers let sixteen million mutants die and let Trask get away with it. Then the Avengers turned Mutant Town into a concentration camp after the war and now I'm supposed to feel honored that an Avenger is here to _help_?" She asked. Mike often had nightmares about the Mutant Town occupation and he was angry Danielle had brought it up.

"I didn't make th' call on Genosha, but I have t' live with th' guilt everyday." He told her. "And I don't know what you _think_ happened in Mutant Town, but we did what we had to do to clean up that rat-ass ghetto and if you've got a problem with it, you can go to hell." He said as he glared at her. Rahne reached up and put her hand on his shoulder to calm him. She didn't blame him for being angry, but it really upset her that they didn't get along and she didn't want them to fight anymore.

"That's enough Dani!" James snapped. "Mike's not responsible for any of that! He doesn't have anything to apologize for and nobody worked harder to help mutants after the war than he did." He told her.

"I still think it's a little strange that a _super spy_ wants to help a team of mutant guerrillas, but if you and Sam say he's OK, I guess he must be." Danielle said grudgingly. She knew she'd crossed the line; she hadn't meant to unload on Mike like that, but her temper had gotten away from her.

"Good, now if we're all done with this "mutant pride" bullshit; Ah've got a mission t' plan and we've got three days t' train fer it." Sam said. "RIGHT is planning something big and if Cypher's right, then we might be able t' finally take Hodge out fer good." He told them.

"What about the Reavers Sam?" James asked. He couldn't get the image of those kids nailed to those X-shaped crosses out of his mind and he wanted to tear Donald Pierce apart for it. That cyborg monster had tortured Rahne and Roberto years earlier and nearly destroyed the New Mutants and the X-Men. Now it seemed he'd rebuilt the Reavers and begun recruiting; capitalizing on the war to raise an army of mutant haters.

"Much as Ah hate t' say it, they've got t' wait." Sam said. "We think RIGHT's behind these kidnappings and we're pretty sure they're plannin' somethin' against th' school…so that makes them th' priority."

"Alright then, let's kick Hodge's ass for good this time." James said. "C'mon, let's get in a workout before we start training." He said as he, Mike and Tabitha got up and headed down to the gym. The institute had a gym specially designed for people with superhuman strength and the equipment could push even Mike and James to their limits.

"Sam, I'm coming with ye on this mission." Rahne said emphatically.

"Good, we're gonna need yer help…come to th' Danger Room when yer're done with class." He said as he and Theresa headed down to team briefing room to work out their plan. Since it was summer, they only had class for a few hours three days a week, so she'd have plenty of time to train for the mission without neglecting her duties. Emma Frost didn't like X-Force and was looking for any excuse to punish Rahne for her continued involvement with the team.

"Rahne, are you sure about this?" Danielle asked.

"Stop actin' like ye know wha's best fer me Dani!" Rahne snapped. "Put yuirself in order first!"

"That's not fair Rahne!" Danielle exclaimed.

"Neither was wha' ye said tae Tabby and Mike!" Rahne shot back. "Tabby treated ye like a friend! She trusted ye because **I** told her she could and then ye betrayed her! Ye ha' no idea how awful her life's been and ye ha' no right tae talk tae her like tha'!" Rahne said angrily. "Ye dinnae know anythin' about Mike either!" She said.

"And you do?!" Danielle yelled. "You only met yesterday!" She snapped. "You haven't changed at all! You're so desperate for a relationship; you'll fall for any guy who pays attention to you!" She said.

"I know because I've been through th' same hell he has!" Rahne shouted. There was really nothing Danielle could say to that and she began to feel guilty again that she hadn't been there. She hadn't meant for any of this to happen; she was legitimately concerned about Rahne's involvement in the mission and with Mike.

"He's jus' like us…he had th' same hopes and dreams we all did…he wanted tae help people, but he ended up bent and broken jus' like us." Rahne told her.

"Rahne, he's **_not_** like us...he's a trained killer." Danielle said emphatically.

"So was muh dad." Rahne said angrily. Her adopted father, Joseph MacTaggert, had served in the Royal Marines and Rahne didn't appreciate Danielle's disrespectful words. Her father wasn't a _'killer'_, he was a kind man who loved her and he'd died protecting Rahne and her mother.

"I'm sorry Rahne…I shouldn't have said that." Danielle admitted. "I'm just worried about you, Mike's too old for you and you saw how he flew off the handle at Julian…I don't want to see you get hurt." She said.

"He's nae perfect, but I'm **nae **a needy little girl anymore and I can make muh own decisions." Rahne said emphatically. She was completely out of patience, Danielle had insulted Tabitha, Mike and her late father and now she was treating her like she was thirteen again.

"After everything we've been through, you're going to let a guy come between us?" Danielle asked, becoming emotional. She and Rahne shared a psychic bond once more and she was shocked by how angry she'd become.

"It's nae about Mike, it's about **ye**! I dinnae know who ye are anymore and I cannae deal wit' ye right now!" Rahne said as she stormed off. Danielle sank back into her chair and started to cry.

_'What's happening to me?'_ She wondered as Rahne's words rang in her ears.

* * *

**The East Wing – 2ndFloor**

"So…you and Rahne?" James asked as he and Mike went back upstairs to change into their workout clothes.

"Yeah, me and Rahne." Mike said. James wasn't surprised; Rahne was strong, she shared Mike's faith and they'd both grown up fighting, their attraction to each other was natural.

"Mike, she's special…she's the soul of this team, you remember that and don't you _ever_ do anything to hurt her." James said emphatically. "She had an awful childhood, worse than Tabby, but she's overcome it and she's the best of us…you make sure you treat her with the respect she deserves." He said.

"I will Jimmy." Mike said.

* * *

**The Patio**

Rahne stepped out on the patio to get some air and clear her head. There had been too much drama this morning and she needed a moment to herself to calm down and think. She felt awful for yelling at Danielle the way she had; especially after all she'd been through the last few years. Still, Danielle was wrong to treat Mike the way she had and Tabitha had taken her into her confidence. She had been cruel to betray her trust and use her past against her like that. Rahne didn't regret what she'd said to Danielle, but she regretted how she'd said it and she knew she needed to apologize. She was upset she'd lost her temper, but Danielle should know better and Rahne was extremely protective of Tabitha after all they'd been through.

Rahne shifted to her hybrid form and sat down on the low rock wall surrounding the patio, looking out toward the garden. It was pleasant this morning; the grass felt soft and cool beneath her feet and the breeze felt good as it blew through her fur. She was beginning to feel more like herself again and she took a moment to pray, asking God for help speaking to Danielle and for the success of their upcoming mission. She prayed she could let go of the hate she was feeling toward Cameron Hodge and RIGHT as well. Justice was one thing, revenge was quite another and she didn't want to give in to it; she didn't want to become a monster. _'Those poor kids he's kidnapped are__**my**__mission.' _She thought as she continued to enjoy the peace and quiet of the garden.

"Rahne…are you ok?" Josh asked as he stepped out onto the patio.

"I'm fine." She sighed as she looked back over her shoulder at him. He just would not take a hint and she wasn't in the mood to deal with him this morning.

"You're all wolfed out…something's bothering you." He said as he sat down beside her.

"I change forms fer lots of reasons Slick…nae jus' when I'm angry or upset." She told him as she changed back to her natural form. He'd been infatuated with her since he'd arrived and while she'd thought it was cute at first, he was really starting to make her uncomfortable now. She'd rebuffed his advances and she wished he'd respect her wishes and leave her alone. The last thing Rahne needed was for a rumor to get started among the students. Emma Frost didn't like her at all and she was adamantly opposed to Ororo letting her teach. She'd try to destroy Rahne's reputation and use this as evidence that she was too young to teach her class if she got the chance.

"Is it that new guy?" Josh asked; trying to ignore the derogatory nickname she'd given him.

"**No**, it's nae Mike." Rahne said tersely. "Muh social life is none of yuir business."

"You're _really_ going out with that psycho?" Josh asked incredulously.

"He's nae a psycho!" She said emphatically. "Again, nae tha' it's any of _yuir_business, but we're dating…so ye can stop followin' me about like a lost puppy." She said, hoping Josh would finally get the message.

"This sucks Rahne!" Josh exclaimed. "You never gave _**me**_ a chance! You're not being fair!" He lamented. He'd been coming on to her for weeks and getting nowhere; but she'd gone to dinner with Mike and they'd only just met. He thought Mike was a jerk and he couldn't understand what Rahne saw in him; he was really embarrassed to lose out like this.

"Fair?!" Rahne asked in utter disbelief. "Have ye lost yuir mind?! Ye cannae have a relationship wit' me! I'm yuir teacher!" She said emphatically.

"But you're not a _real_ teacher." He said, although he instantly wished he hadn't when he saw the look on her face. She was nineteen; barely older than some of the students she taught and _sometimes_ they forgot who they were dealing with and tried to treat her like another teenager. Rahne was always quick to put them in their place and she'd more than earned their respect, except for Josh. He'd let the fact that he was an omega level mutant go to his head and he actually thought he was Rahne's equal.

"I'm nae interested in ye Josh! Yui're too young!" Rahne yelled.

"Too young?!" He exclaimed. "**You're** younger than Mike! He's gotta be like thirty or something!" He protested.

"He's twenty-five and tha's nae wha' I meant." Rahne said. "I'm talkin' about life experience Slick. Ye dinnae have any and ye dinnae know anythin' about me or wha' I've been through. We've got **_nothin'_** in common." She said. "I need tae be wit' someone who understands me…who understands why I cry at night…and wake up screamin'." She told him. "Ye dinnae want tae deal wit' tha' Slick; ye want a normal girl ye can relate too."

"I don't care about all that and I don't want to be with someone else." He said despondently. "I want _you_." He said as he tried to kiss her. Rahne shoved him away as she morphed back to her hybrid form and snatched him up off the ground by his shirt.

"If ye **_ever_** try tha' again I'll bite yuir lips off!" She snarled. "I want a **man** in muh life! Nae a snot-nosed kid! Now leave me alone before ye get me fired!" She yelled, baring her fangs and snarling in anger. Rahne was completely out of patience; she'd tried to explain things to him, but he was just too arrogant to listen.

"Yes ma'am…" Josh mumbled. He was angry and humiliated, but he knew better than to push Rahne any further. He was shocked by her reaction; he thought she should be grateful that a guy like _him_ was interested in her despite her monstrous transformations and emotional issues.

"Tha's better." Rahne said as she dropped him. "Dant ye ever fergit yuir place again!" She warned him as he turned and stormed away back to his room.

* * *

**Josh and David's Room**

"What are you so butt-hurt about?" David asked as Josh slammed the door to their room and kicked the trash can over as he flopped down on his bed in a huff. David was trying to study and Josh's tantrum was rude and aggravating.

"Shut up." Josh snapped.

'_I guess Ms. Sinclair must have finally put you in your place.'_ David thought as he turned back to his books. He'd seen Josh staring at her earlier so it wasn't that hard to figure out what had him so upset. Kitty had brought David to the institute about six months ago and in that time he'd learned a lot about Rahne and the other X-Men. He respected her and thought she was a good mentor who really had her student's best interest at heart. He didn't want her to get in trouble because of Josh and he'd warned him before to leave her alone.

'_There's absolutely no way she would ever be interested in a shallow, arrogant, naïve jerk like you Josh.'_ David thought. It was laughable that he actually thought he had a chance with Rahne. She was a kind, thoughtful woman who only cared about helping others despite her own life being filled with hardship and regret. She'd saved the world three times before she'd even learned to drive and she'd selflessly risked her life to defend the world from Apocalypse. There was no way he could ever possibly relate to her or understand the trauma she'd endured and it was obvious he was only interested in her body.

"Really?!" David asked as Josh turned his music up just to be as annoying as possible. David considered punching him for a split second, but Josh wasn't worth detention and he knew he had to be the bigger man anyway.

"Really." Josh answered.

"I'll be in the library until you're done being an asshole." David said as he packed up his books and left. Josh was immature and he often got on David's last nerve, but he was so pathetic that David couldn't help but feel bad for him. He tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and help him out when he could because Josh had been disowned by his parents. Still, there were times like this when David ran out of patience and wished he had a new roommate.

* * *

**Danger****Room**** Control Center**

**-Later that Morning-**

"I gave you a uniform to wear Mr. Holmes." Hank said indignantly as Mike walked into the control room after his workout, wearing his old armor. Mike had come to get a retina scan and security clearance from Kitty so the Danger Room computer would allow him to train.

"That armor of yours is falling apart." He added.

"It'll hold up." Mike told him as he looked into the scanner. "I appreciate th' offer, but I ain't wearin' blue and gold spandex." He said emphatically.

"It is **not** spandex!" Hank fumed, "The very idea…I'll have you know that…"

"Hank, I don't think either of us can fault the man for being particular about his gear." Forge interrupted. He wasn't a fan of the uniforms either and he really didn't blame Mike for refusing to wear it.

"Don't worry Mike; I'll have your new gear ready soon." He told him. Mike had asked for heavy-duty nano-armor, which wasn't a problem, except that Noriko's needs came first and of course Mike understood that.

"I've got you're access codes and security clearance programmed Mike, but I don't like your codename…Wraith sounds like a super villain." Kitty said.

"My name is **Wrath**." Mike answered as he adjusted his mask. _'Why do people keep getting that wrong!?'__H_e wondered.

"That's even worse!" Kitty protested.

"Well, pardon me all t' hell _Sprite_." He said sarcastically.

"That's low." Kitty fumed. "I was just a kid…"

"No, low would have been bringing up that awesome rainbow costume with th' roller blades…oh, wait…" Mike teased.

"You jerk! You look like a super villain!" She said indignantly. As an Avenger his armor had been blue with the SHIELD eagle on the chest, but now that he was a member of X-Force, he'd painted it pitch-black. He looked terrifying now, especially with that big gun he had strapped to his back. The vest was inch thick Stark Ind. composite complete with armored gauntlets and gloves, thigh and shin guards, a menacing ballistic mask and a self-repairing body suit underneath. He'd covered the SHIELD emblem on the chest, but there was no X anywhere on his uniform since X-Force was a covert strike team. Frightening as he looked, he fit right in with the rest of X-Force. Tabitha wore a black costume with gray shin and forearm guards and a light-weight armor vest. James and Sam both wore gray and black X-Force uniforms, although James had an armored gauntlet and spaulder on his left arm. Even Theresa had grudgingly given up the X-Men blue and gold for the darker look of her team. Rahne also had a black X-Force uniform since she was still a part of the team.

"X-Force ain't a superhero team and we're not tryin' t' win a popularity contest." Mike said bluntly. It wasn't that he didn't respect the X-Men and their efforts to foster good relations with the baseline humans, but he was provoked by the fact that most of them didn't seem to appreciate the value of X-Force. They stayed in the shadows and did what had to be done to end threats before they could fully develop. Their proactive approach put them at odds with the X-Men, who saw their role as a defensive one and the division between the two teams was growing. The X-Force had been forged in the war and had a much less optimistic outlook than the X-Men. They'd been left behind when Apocalypse attacked and they'd fought a guerrilla war against him and eventually won due to Cable's unconventional tactics.

"Wait...what's this program you've added? How do you even know how to operate the system?" Hank asked, noticing the new program Mike had uploaded earlier that morning.

"I showed him Hank." Forge told him. Mike had come to talk to him about his ideas for some new armor and they'd quickly become friends. Mike had learned a lot form Tony Stark during his days in the Avengers Academy and Stark had chosen him to test the Guardian Armor prototype before the final version was issued to the SHIELD Rangers.

"That's Stark's latest toy…Stark Industries mark IV powered combat armor…th' grunts at SHIELD call it a _Cape Killer_." He explained. "It's supposed to even the odds against super villains, but they'll use it on th' rest of us th' first chance they get." Mike said ominously. "That MRA bill passes and you can expect to see a lot of these _and_ sentinels, so I thought it might be a good idea to get in a little practice."

"The _X-Men_ are trying to avoid fighting the government." Hank said firmly.

"Well, _ya'll_ be sure to tell them that when they decide to fight _you_." Mike said sarcastically.

"Ya'll excuse me." He said as he saw his teammates gathering in the Danger Room below.

"Insufferable lout." Hank said indignantly.

* * *

**Sub-Level 3**

"You goin' fer a swim?" Mike asked as he met Rahne coming out of the women's locker room. Her X-Men costume looked just like a blue and gold one piece swimsuit and Holmes didn't know the difference since he'd never seen her in it. Her costume was a lot more revealing than her clothes the night before and he was really impressed by her physique. She was strong and powerful, with really well-defined muscles, but still graceful and feminine and she had the most beautiful legs he'd ever seen.

"No ye doofus, this is muh costume. I've got a class tae teach this mornin'." She said.

"_That's_ yer costume?" He asked in disbelief.

"Aye…Cyclops says th' black uniforms scare people." She said, rolling her eyes. She was a werewolf; she looked terrifying no matter what she was wearing.

"So he runs around wearin' a giant blue condom instead?" Mike asked sarcastically as Rahne started laughing. "Don't ya have any armor?" He asked, becoming serious again. He was concerned that she looked so vulnerable and he thought Scott was an idiot for making her wear that.

"This will stop bullets and tha' stuff ye've got on would jus' get in muh way and slow me down." She explained. She understood why James teased him now; he _did_ remind her of Cable with all that armor and his big guns.

"Fair enough, but no boots?" He asked. Rahne was barefooted except for braces on her ankles with instep pads on each foot.

"I dinnae need boots, I'm a werewolf." She said as she morphed to her hybrid form, completely covered in reddish-brown fur with razor-sharp claws and fangs. "Stop worryin' so much…I'm tougher than I look." She said.

"I know yer're strong Rahne and I'm glad yer're gonna be watchin' my back on th' mission." HMike said. Rahne was pleased that he respected her and her skills. Most people thought she was too small to fight; but she was fierce, with superhuman strength and expert training.

"Listen, I had a great time with ya last night and…"

"Mike!" Sam interrupted as he and Theresa dashed out of the elevator into the hall. "Where are th' others?!"

"In th' Danger Room gettin' ready fer trainin'." Mike answered. "Th' hells th' matter?!"

"We got a message from Cypher." He said. "It's worse than we thought, they've got more hostages and we gotta go in today." He added as they all headed for the Danger Room.

_'Cypher, you better come through for us.'_ Mike thought. This mission was going to be difficult enough already, but now with mutant hostages to rescue, there was absolutely no room for error and they were definitely going to need Cypher's help. He was a Hacktivist who'd caused a lot of trouble a few years earlier, but he'd since reformed. Now he was constantly causing trouble for AIM, HYDRA, Trask Industries and anyone else who threatened world peace in general and mutants in particular. Mike didn't know how Sam had recruited him, but his skills were a huge benefit to the team even though he couldn't directly engage in battle.

* * *

**Danger Room**

"Listen up." Sam said to the others as he, Theresa, Mike and Rahne entered the Danger Room. "RIGHT just brought in a truck load of prisoners and it looks like they're a lot further along in their plan than we thought." He said ominously. "We gotta go in today and we gotta be perfect…Ah'm not puttin' one of those kids in a body bag." He said as everyone became dead serious and ready for action.

"I thought you were supposed to be on top of this." James said sarcastically as Cypher's avatar appeared on the monitor and the Danger Room projected a three-dimensional map of the facility for the team to study.

"_I am! Breaking in is easy, it's not being noticed that's the trick Warpath_!" Cypher said. _"They know they're vulnerable and they've taken every precaution…it's like trying to hack A.R.M.O.R. without being noticed."_He explained.

"Who?" James asked.

_"Never mind."_ Cypher said. _"We wouldn't even know this much if Wrath hadn't been able to get inside and upload my spy program."_ He said. _"I hacked the program that operates their security cameras, I can watch them, but that's about it at this point…if I dig any deeper, they'll know I'm there."_ He told them. His voice was distorted by one of the many security programs he'd written. He was still wanted and he took no chances, even Sam didn't know his real identity.

"There's definitely some next-level shit goin' on in there." Mike said. "They were bringin' in all kinds of top of th' line medical equipment from Sublime Corp. and United Genetics…plus th' place was crawlin' with those AIM armor suits they love so much." Mike said. It was clear from what Mike had seen on the ground and from the plans and purchase orders Cypher had stolen when he'd hacked their base in Chicago; that they were trying to rebuild the Genengineer's lab. Many of RIGHT's soldiers were former Genoshan Special Forces and Hodge himself was a Genoshan spy. Unfortunately, they were obviously a lot further along than the team realized and all their careful planning had been undone.

Sam had given Mike the mission when he and Tabitha had gone to talk to him about joining X-Force. Mike had abruptly left SHIELD a few days earlier, but with the aid of his telepathy, he'd convinced a known RIGHT agent that he'd be their mole. The fake identity Cypher had created and his telepathy had fooled the RIGHT agent and he'd had a look around and planted Cypher's spy program on his visit to the base. They still thought he was working for SHIELD and he'd planned to go back, scout the base, sabotage their defense system and attack from behind when the rest of the team attacked.

"That's a lot of guns." James said; studying the map as Tabitha and Theresa nodded in agreement.

"Yeah…there's a lot of 'em in there, but Ah've got a plan." Sam said. "Cypher's been workin' on a virus that will allow him total control of their defense system…once Boomer plants that thing; we'll turn their toys against 'em."

_"Cannonball…this may not be the best time to mention this, but I've never tested the virus…I don't know well it will work."_ Cypher said.

"It better work." Theresa said firmly. "It's not like we really have a choice, we have to go in and save those kids." she said. Cypher knew she was right and he wished he had offensive powers like the others so he could do more than just spy for them. He really admired Boomer, Cannonball and Siryn, they were strong, brave and resourceful and he'd give anything to be like them.

"How many hostages?" Rahne asked. If RIGHT was going to experiment on them, then they probably wouldn't hurt them _too_ badly, but she'd experienced Hodge's cruelty first hand and she was going to be prepared.

"We think eight." Theresa answered.

"Sam, Terry…I hate to be "that guy" and I'm not questioning ya'lls leadership, but we're gonna need some more people…me and Rahne can't handle that many _**and**_ fight th' smileys." Mike said.

"Here's yer back up." Sam said as Laura and Forge entered the Danger Room. "Forge agreed to fly for us and give us some air support." He said. They were both dressed in black X-Force style uniforms and Forge was eager for revenge against Hodge for his crimes on Genosha and his attack on the mansion years earlier that cost him an arm and a leg.

"I've got some unfinished business with our dear friend Cameron." He said coldly.

"We all do, but those kids are our number one priority." Sam said. "They go home even if we don't." He said as Forge nodded in agreement. Some of the others might disapprove of their actions, but he respected X-Force and was glad to help them.

"Laura, ye stick with Mike unless I tell ye different…no runnin' off on yer own." Theresa ordered. The X-Men wouldn't let her go on missions with them, but when she'd heard that RIGHT had kidnapped children for their cruel experiments, she'd begged Sam to let her accompany X-Force. Sam had serious reservations about including her, but he realized the X-Men weren't helping her by making her decisions for her. This was clearly something she cared deeply about; it wasn't blood lust or revenge and they needed her; those kids needed her.

"Mike, you Tabby and Laura are going in first to locate th' kids and disable their defenses…do not screw this up." Sam said firmly.

"We got this." Tabitha said as they studied the map.

'_This is just crazy enough to work.'_ Mike thought as Sam laid out the plan for them. He was really impressed that Sam and Theresa had put this operation together on such incredibly short notice and he knew he'd made the right choice joining X-Force.

Tabitha was a capable hacker and she carried a kit full of Forge's gadgets to aid her, but for a mission this big, Cypher was going to assist her. Sam was going to fly the PACRAT directly over the base, cloaked, and Tabitha, Holmes and Laura were going to bail out and parachute onto the roof. Once inside, Tabitha would hack in and upload Cypher's "warlock" virus, giving them both complete access to RIGHT's files and security system. Mike and Laura would rescue the prisoners while Sam and the others captured Hodge and dealt with the RIGHT agents so they could all escape.

"I'm goin' t' prep th' P.A.C.R.A.T." Sam said. "Get yer gear ready and makes sure Beast, Nemesis and Reyes are ready fer th' prisoners." He ordered. Rahne ran to change into her X-Force uniform while Mike took Laura to the armory for more weapons.

The Personal Assault Carrier for Recon/Aquatic/Terrain or PACRAT as the team called it was a supersonic, armored aircraft designed by Cable, the former leader of X-Force. It was an ugly, triangular shaped aircraft with stubby wings and a long, thin tail that housed the main engine. It had two smaller engines near the top of the fuselage at the rear and two powerful plasma cannons under each wing. It wasn't as fast as the X-Men's Blackbird, but it had a cloaking device as well a large crew cabin and even a medical station. The PACRAT was designed to serve as a mobile base of operations and could even navigate underwater if necessary.

* * *

**Aboard the PACRAT En Route to RIGHT Genetics Facility**

"Take this." Rahne said as she handed Mike one of her first-aid kits. "Patch 'em up best ye can if they need it and I'll do th' rest when ye get back tae th' PACRAT." She told him. She knew he didn't have her level of expertise, but he had enough training to be a help to her. She'd rather go in on the rescue team, but Sam needed her on the assault team in case anything went wrong and she always followed his orders.

"I like this uniform better." He said as he looked her over. "It's got armor in _all_ th' right places." He joked, pointing to the armor plating over her breasts. Her black and gray uniform might not be the most comfortable she'd ever worn, but it offered the best protection while not hindering her mobility. Her boots, gloves and armor were all lightweight, but very strong and made of unstable molecules to accommodate her ever changing anatomy.

"Keep yuir mind on yuir mission." Rahne said, smiling at him. "Ye can stare at muh boobs when ye get back." She added, blushing slightly.

"Oh, I intend too." He admitted, making her blush again. "Listen…about th' mission…I know yer're tougher than I am, but promise me you'll be careful; I've lost too many friends." He said, becoming serious again.

"I will, and ye better come home tae." She told him as he took her hand in both of his. There was still a lot she didn't know about him, but she wanted too and it was clear he really cared about her as well. "I'll see ye on th' ground." She said as she headed back to her seat.

"We're coming up on the drop zone, get ready to jump." James said as stepped through the hatch into the hold of the PACRAT. He was 7'2" 350lbs of pure destruction and he was wearing his war paint which made him look even more intimidating.

'_Glad you're on my side.'_ Mike thought as he got up and closed the face shield on his helmet. His helmet design was similar to Ironman's and it was strong enough to stop most bullets and provided good protection even against superhuman blows. Laura immediately jumped up and put her mask on, ready for action, but Tabitha was still sitting there, rocking out to God knows what on her iPod and popping her bubble gum every few minutes. She seemed like a goofball, but Holmes had seen her in action and he knew how tough she could be.

"Boomer! Time to kick some ass." Mike said as he nudged her.

"I'm ready." She said as Mike helped her strap on her parachute. She tried not to let herself dwell on tragedy and negative thoughts, but she was disgusted by RIGHT and they were going to pay for hurting those kids and her friends. Laura didn't know what to think about Tabitha, but if Mike trusted her then she knew she should as well.

"Serval?" James asked as he helped Mike strap his assault rifle to his leg. "I thought you hated Serval."

"I do and Harrison Snow can go t' hell." Mike said as he checked Tabitha's parachute for her. "But, this Serval AR 36 Hellbringer is th' best there is." He said. Serval's Assault Rifle model 36 was a large, heavy firearm meant to be carried by a soldier wearing their powered body armor, but Mike was more than capable of carrying it unaided. Its powerful rounds could easily penetrate armor and its integrated shotgun and 40mm grenade launcher made it the perfect weapon for Mike.

"Mines bigger." James joked as he pointed to the mini-gun Forge had converted for him to carry. Forge had rigged up a backpack with a power source and thousands of rounds of ammunition, making the formerly vehicle mounted weapon portable for James due to his super human strength.

"I've never needed more." Mike retorted. James couldn't help but laugh as he strapped Laura to Mike's chest for a tandem jump and handed her a sniper rifle. This plan was dangerous and daring, but it was going to work, he trusted Tabitha with his life and he knew Mike was more than capable; he'd die to protect those kids and so would Laura.

"You two are idiots." Laura told them.

"Codenames only from here on…GO!" He yelled as he lowered the ramp and the trio bailed out, hurtling toward the research facility half hidden by the trees below. They waited till the last second before pulling their parachutes and they continued their silent descent as X-23 took aim at the guards on the roof with her silenced sniper rifle. She dropped the first one and took out the other one on the opposite side of the roof before he even knew what was happening. Wrath was impressed by her skill, she was even better than SHIELD's intel said she'd be. Neither of them took any pleasure in killing, but nothing was going to stop them from rescuing those children and they'd do whatever they had too.

They landed on the roof and X-23 quickly cut herself free of her harness and helped her teammates hide the parachutes. Wrath strapped her rifle to his back and grabbed his assault rifle as they headed for the door leading to the stairs. They had to be quick, the rest of X-Force would be in position soon since everyone but Wolfsbane could fly and Cannonball could carry her. Boomer was going to hack RIGHT's computer systems from their main control room, giving both she and Cypher complete access to their network while X-23 and Wrath secured the children and prepped them for evacuation. Boomer alone was bad enough, but with Cypher's help they were going to cause so much chaos that RIGHT wouldn't know what hit them.

"Try before ya pry." Wrath said as he grabbed a key card off the nearest dead guard and opened the door. X-23 gave him an approving look, but Boomer sulked; she could muffle the sounds of her explosions and she never missed an opportunity to blow something up.

"You're no fun Wrath." She whispered as they made their way inside.

"Four guards." Wrath whispered as they reached the bottom of the stairs. _'I got the two in the middle you two get the ones on either side of them.'_ Wrath said telepathically as he linked to their minds. _'GO!'_ he yelled as they leaped out of the shadows, taking the RIGHT agents by surprise. Wrath slammed his fist into the nearest one, crushing his sternum and ribs as he sent him flying back down the hallway into the wall. X-23 impaled another agent with her claws as Boomer blasted one with a silenced bomb, knocking him senseless. Wrath whirled before the last agent could react and snapped his spine with a vicious kick to back. A normal human stood absolutely no chance against him with his strength, speed and reflexes; the fight was over before it had even started. X-23 was impressed by Boomer's skill and she felt better about leaving her alone once they'd found the control room.

Cypher kept them apprised of the guards movements as Wrath lead the team to the control room. They quietly dispatched the guards and tied up the tech specialist for questioning later. By the time the rest of the team was in position, Boomer had hacked in and she and Cypher had found the children.

_"Cannonball, I'm in, I knocked out the security system and the mutant detectors….but there's a lot of data here and the defense system program is heavily encrypted…this is gonna take a minute."_He explained. _"Hodge is in the command center and Wrath is almost to the cellblock…this is gonna be close."_ He added. Wrath and X-23 were heading for the cellblock and he had to work fast before Hodge figured out that he was breaking into the system. Boomer was busy downloading all the data she could on RIGHT's operations while keeping an eye on Wrath and X-23 through the security system.

_"Heads up gorgeous, you've got company."_ Cypher warned as he noticed several RIGHT agents heading for the control room.

"Whatevs'…." Boomer said as she continued to monitor Wrath and X-23.

* * *

**The Cellblock**

"I underestimated you." X-23 said as Wrath punched the last guard so hard he caved in his helmet and broke half the bones in his face. She was surprised by his skill and his ferocity, he wasn't like the others; he was brutal like she was. He hadn't killed the RIGHT agents, but he'd hurt them so badly, they'd be lucky to walk again and they'd never harm anyone else.

"I'm a SHIELD agent, we're th' best there is." Wrath said. That wasn't just a line, it was the truth, SHIELD agents were the toughest Special Operations soldiers on the planet. As an Avenger, he and the Fallen Angels had dealt with mostly mid-level threats, but they had been skilled at rescue missions giving him an even greater advantage.

"Wait." She said as she drew her pistol. One of the wounded guards was still moving and he needed to be eliminated.

"No, we only kill in self-defense or to protect an innocent." Wrath said as he stopped her. "Besides, this trash ain't worth wastin' bullets on anyway." He snorted as he stomped the wounded agent in the face, knocking him out. He walked up to the door and with supreme effort, ripped it off its hinges. Everything had gone like clockwork, they'd been quiet and they'd been quick, but now they had eight civilians to deal with. There were seven children and one adult, four were pre-teens and two were injured, things just got a lot more difficult.

"We're X-Force, we're here to get ya'll out." He said as they all cowered in fear. He looked more terrifying than the fiends who'd put them in there and the black-haired woman with the claws was just as frightening.

_'Filthy bastards, put these people in cages like animals.'_ He thought as he and X-23 rushed to their aid. There was an Asian woman trapped in the cage in the middle of the room and Wrath freed her first. She'd been badly beaten by the RIGHT agents, but she still had a defiant look in her eyes and he knew she could help them get the youngsters to safety.

"How bad are ya hurt?" He asked as he ripped the cage door off and she rushed to one of the nearby cages holding two of the younger children.

"I'm fine! Please, help me get them out!" She pleaded as Wrath ripped off the door, reuniting the family. Her nose was broken and one eye was swelled shut from the vicious beating she'd endured, but she'd suffered worse and her only concern was for her family.

"They yer kids?" He asked. She sure didn't look old enough to be their mother, but they were treating her like it.

"I'm their sister…my name is Xian." She said.

"I'm Wrath, that's X-23." He told her as he got up to free the others.

"Go with her." X-23 said, pointing to Xian. The two little blonde girls she'd just freed quickly ran to Xian and her siblings. Madelyn and Haley both began crying as Xian gathered them in her arms, trying to comfort them.

"It's alright…they're here to help us." She told them.

"Who are you?" Wrath asked as he ripped away another cage door and helped a tall girl with long brown hair and pointed ears to her feet. This girl was taller than he was and she ached all over from being trapped in that little cage.

"I'm Callie…Callie Betto." She said as Wrath ripped her inhibitor collar off.

"I know yer're scared." Wrath said as he raised his mask. "But right now I need you and Xian to help with those two little girls and her kids…me and X are gonna be real busy in a minute." He said. It wouldn't take Cypher much longer to break the code and they had to be ready to run for the PACRAT as soon as Forge landed. Hopefully, the RIGHT would be so busy with the others that he could land without taking fire, but Cannonball had identified a nearby bunker they could shelter the prisoners in if they had to.

"Where's the rest of your team?!" Xian asked, becoming alarmed. That cyborg monster she'd tried to fight earlier was a one man army and she'd seen at least twenty armor suits when she'd tried to escape and save the others. There was no way these two could take them all and she was desperate to save her siblings.

"Dealin' with th' bastard that put ya'll in here." He answered as he freed a young teen who looked like Wolfsbane in her hybrid form. This kid was tiny, even shorter than Wolfsbane, but beast mutants were usually pretty strong so he might be able to help.

"How old are you boy?" Wrath asked as he ripped the cage door off.

"Thirteen…" Nicholas answered, not sure what to make of his rescuer. Wrath ripped the inhibitor collar from around his neck, freeing his powers as X-23 freed the last prisoner.

"What's yer name?" Wrath asked, sensing his fear.

"Nicholas…" He said.

"How bad is he hit?" Wrath asked X-23 as she examined the older boy's injury. He'd been shot in the leg and beaten up when he was captured, but it was nothing so serious that they couldn't move him.

"He will live." She replied. She had the bedside manner of a butcher school dropout, but he trusted her judgment and he knew she wouldn't endanger those kids. He could sense her determination and he knew that he and Kiden were right about her. She wasn't a monster and there was nothing evil about her despite all the terrible things she'd been forced to do.

"What is your name?" X-23 asked him as Wrath began to treat his injury.

"Mark Sheppard." He answered.

"Wrath and I cannot carry you." She said bluntly. "You will keep up or you will get these children killed. Do you understand?" She asked.

"I'll keep up." Mark said.

"Time to man up Nic." Wrath told Nicholas as he finished bandaging Mark's leg. "Grab him, follow me and keep yer head down!" He ordered as his mask snapped back into place.

"Yes sir." Nicholas said quietly as he grabbed Mark and got ready to run.

"I got point X, back me up!" He snapped as he put his rifle to his shoulder and headed down the hall as they followed at a distance. _'They're going to pay for what they did to that kid.'_ He thought.

* * *

**The Control Room**

"Move away from the computer or you're dead little girl!" the RIGHT agent ordered as he kicked open the door and took aim at Boomer.

"You forgot to say please." Boomer scoffed as she psionically detonated the bomb she'd planted at the door, blasting the RIGHT agents back out into the hall. _'Idiot…'_ she thought. He wasn't going to shoot her and risk hitting the main computer, but she always had an ace in the hole, Domino had taught her well.

_"I've got it, get ready to move!"_ Cypher said as he finally broke the encryption. He jammed every door in the complex, locked down the hangar so no more armored soldiers could get out and set the automated defense system to target the RIGHT agents. Boomer finished the download and ran to meet up with Wrath and X-23; all hell was breaking loose and they'd need her help.

* * *

**Command****Center**

"Ah don't like it…somethin' don't feel right…." Cannonball said as Warpath stepped out into the hall and opened fire on the armored soldiers guarding the entrance.

"We willnae get another chance like this!" Wolfsbane reminded him.

"Ok….Siryn, get th' door!" he yelled as she tore the armored doors off their hinges with her powerful scream.

"Damn! You were right!" Warpath cursed as they charged into the control room and found it dark and empty.

"Mutant detected!" A menacing robotic voice said as a pair of red eyes blazed in the darkness. The sinister chorus continued as more pairs of eyes shown in the darkness and the team realized they were surrounded.

"Sentinels…." Wolfsbane gasped.

"Didn't see this comin'…." Siryn said.

* * *

**The Control Center**

"Laura!" Boomer screamed as X-23 used her body to shield the younger children from incoming fire.

"Stay focused Boomer!" She yelled as she healed up and tore into the RIGHT agent, slashing him to death with her claws. Wrath didn't have time to reload, but he flew at the remaining RIGHT agents and armored soldier in a rage, slamming his fist through the chest plate of the suit. Blood and oil splattered on the wall as he whirled and attacked the remaining agents with X-23. Several more armored soldiers attacked from behind, but they were not match for Boomer who was guarding the rear.

Boomer was no stranger to the horror of battle, but she was still shocked by X-23 and Wrath. Warpath said he was a one man slaughter-house, but she hadn't fully understood just how brutal and frightening he could be. His demeanor had changed as soon as they'd hit the ground and his ferocity rivaled X-23 as they tore through the RIGHT agents. It was hard to accept that someone who'd been so kind to Noriko and such a gentleman to Rahne the day before could be so savage and bloodthirsty now. At least he had a good reason she thought as she looked at the kids, cowering in fear as the battle raged around them.

"Be strong for them Callie…it'll be over soon." Boomer said, trying to comfort the traumatized teen. Madelyn and Haley, the youngest captives, were crying and clinging to her for comfort and it was all she could do to hold herself together for them. Beside her, Xian watched as Wrath hurled a RIGHT agent against the wall, shattering his bones and X-23 impaled two more with her claws. She'd never seen such ferocious fighters and she wondered what soul-shattering horror had forged them into such lethal weapons.

_"Forge! We need evac! RIGHT is goin' ape-shit down here!"_ Wrath yelled into the radio as he reloaded.

_"It's not looking good outside either."_ Forge told him. _"I've lost contact with the assault team….I'll have a look on the next pass! Get to the landing zone!"_ He ordered.

_"Cannonball?!"_ X-23 yelled as she tried to raise him on the radio. "They are jamming us." She said ominously.

"I got somethin' fer that." Wrath answered. _'Sam?! What's going on?!'_ He asked as he telepathically linked the team's minds. _'Sentinels!'_Sam yelled. _'We're surrounded, you know what to do!'_ He ordered.

"We can't just leave them!" Boomer yelled.

"You are a soldier Boomer, you know the risk and you know your duty! Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment!" X-23 said.

"Both of ya'll shut up." Wrath said. "Sam _always_ has a back up plan…we ain't done yet." He told them. "Damn there's a lot of 'em." He said as he scanned the area with his telepathy. _"Forge, I need an air-strike. On my order, cut those RIGHT bastards in half!" H_e ordered. "X…get these civilians to the bunker and dig in till me and Boomer can help clear out these sentinels." He said. He didn't want to leave X-23 alone, but these sentinels had seriously compromised the mission and he needed all the firepower he could get, so he needed Boomer. Cannonball was a better leader and it was his backup plan, but it fell to Wrath to execute it and he prayed he was making the right decision in sending X-23 to the bunker.

"We do not have another choice Wrath…I will protect them." She said, sensing the guilt and turmoil he was feeling about leaving her alone. They weren't supposed to separate, but the mission had become desperate and there was no other way. She could easily handle the agents in that bunker and once it was clear, it should be easy to protect the others.

"Boomer, make us a door, quietly." He said as she blasted a hole through the wall to avoid the armored soldiers waiting on them at the main entrance. _'We're coming Sam….I'm gonna' puppet string on of those guys and make him attack Hodge and the others while Boomer hits the sentinels.'_ He said as they made their way outside.

'_Hurry up Mike! It's getting ugly out here!'_ Sam answered. He still had the situation under control, but this was cutting it a lot closer than he liked. Clearly Hodge had suspected something, but it seemed they'd still managed to catch him off guard.

"Laura, call fer back up if ya need it…I don't want t' bury another friend." Wrath said as they parted ways.

"You're bleeding." Boomer said as she and Wrath headed back toward the battle. He'd used his armor to shield the children from the gunfire, but it hadn't stopped all the rounds. The big guns on the armored suits were loaded with "reaper" rounds, used during the war to pierce the Infinity soldiers' armor. Fortunately, he'd been quick enough to avoid serious injury and he'd been trained to ignore pain.

"It's not bad." He told her. Boomer hated guys who tried to act tough, but she knew Wrath's only concern was for his teammates so she let it go.

"What are we gonna do about Hodge?" Boomer asked. "He's like a one man army now…he beat most of the X-Men when he attacked us the first time." She told him.

"I know…Sam told me about it." Wrath answered. "We've got t' regroup with th' others and attack him together…he's got psi-shields and I'm not strong enough to break 'em." He said.

"I can help." Xian said as she joined them. "I nearly had him when he attacked me after I escaped." She said.

"What th' hell are ya doin' here?!" Wrath hissed. "Get yer ass back with th' others! I'm not gonna be responsible fer you gettin killed!" He told her.

"You need my help!" She said. "I'm a telepath too! Together we can take Hodge!" she told him.

"Yer're a civilian! Ya don't know how t' fight! You'll be in my way!" Wrath snapped.

"My parents were murdered and I had to save Nga and Leong myself! I know how to survive!" She yelled.

"Take care of yer brother and sister damn it!" Wrath said.

"I _**am**_!" She snapped. "You guys don't know what you're dealing with…he's a monster and he'll kill all of us!" she told him.

"I fought in th' Millennium War and she helped kill Apocalypse! _**We**_ know what **_we're_** doin'! Now get back!" Wrath roared.

"NO!" She yelled. "I'm fighting for my family and you'll have to shoot me to stop me!" She said defiantly.

"X-23…Xian's coming with us…" Boomer said as Wrath finally relented.

* * *

**The Battle**

"Damnable fool!" Cameron Hodge shrieked as he snatched the base commander up in his cybernetic tentacles. "I told you to be ready for them!" He yelled as he began to choke him.

"They're more powerful than you said they'd be sir…and that big one's got a mini-gun…." He wheezed.

"I'll suffer your incompetence no longer!" Hodge hissed as he broke his neck and hurled his body to the ground. "I'll handle this myself!" He yelled as he assumed command of the battle. Most of his soldiers were either trapped or killed by the malfunctioning defense system and Siryn and Warpath had already taken out ten armored soldiers along with several sentinels. Still, he was confident he could capture them with his remaining men and the Nimrod prototypes Bolivar Trask had provided and if that failed, he'd kill them himself and reclaim the prisoners.

'_That is one__**ugly**__bastard…'_ Wrath thought as he saw Cameron Hodge for the first time. He had a huge mechanical body with four insect-like legs, two arms tipped with metal tentacles and he even had a tail. He was armed to the teeth with a rocket launcher and several different guns as well as sharp bards on the end of each leg. _'You ready Shan?'_ He asked as she nodded. _'Stay hidden and be ready when I tell you.'_ He ordered.

"_Forge! Light 'em up!"_ He yelled as he and Xian seized control of two armored soldiers and forced them to open fire on their comrades and Hodge. The RIGHT stopped attacking the building the assault team had taken refuge in and turned to face the new threat. Above them the PACRAT de-cloaked and opened fire with its plasma cannons, tearing most of the armored soldiers to pieces and destroying the remaining Mark I Sentinels. Hodge managed to escape the strafing with only minor damage and he immediately fired several missiles at the PACRAT as it passed. Forge jammed the throttle and fired off flares, narrowly escaping being shot down.

"Forge, get out of here!" Cannonball ordered. "Wrath, take care of th' soldiers! Th' rest of ya'll on me, take out th' sentinels!" He ordered as he blasted through the wall and slammed straight through the chest of one of the menacing Nimrod prototypes. The evil machines were ten feet tall and dark gray, resembling an evil Ironman with wings, blazing red eyes and power cores. They weren't nearly as durable as the future version, but they were all linked and could adapt to different mutant powers to a degree.

Hodge leaped into the fray, lashing at Siryn with his tentacles and striking Warpath, disabling his gun. Meanwhile Wrath, still in control of an armored soldier, leaped and grabbed hold of another, emptying the magazine of his assault rifle into his chest, splattering blood, oil and hydraulic fluid everywhere. The remaining soldiers began to retreat under the relentless onslaught of Wrath and Xian and the tide began to turn for X-Force.

"Boomer! Get down!" Wolfsbane screamed as she leaped and smashed the sentinels head as it took aim at her friend. Boomer had taken out four of them, but they'd begun to adapt their armor to better withstand her bombs and she was running out of energy. Wolfsbane savagely tore the robot apart and saved her friend from a horrible death.

"Get after it Wrath! It can't lock on to ya!" Cannonball ordered as Wrath launched his last grenade at the sentinel and the leaped onto it, beating it into submission. His knuckles were cut to the bone despite his armored gloves, but he was so angry he didn't even feel the pain. The sight of the Nimrod prototypes reminded him of the battle on Genosha and he was reliving every horror he'd seen as he fought them with all the power he had.

_'I won't quit! I won't let them die!'_ He thought as he tore into another sentinel. His armor was severely damaged and he'd taken several wounds already, but the pain only fueled his anger and drove him to fight harder. He was so angry he was attacking almost on instinct as he flew at another sentinel and Cannonball wondered if he'd gone completely berserk like Wolverine. Warpath was in a frenzy as well, devastating the sentinels with his incredible strength and reflexes.

"Bloody hell! It didnae even make a dent!" Wolfsbane exclaimed as Boomer blasted Hodge with her most powerful bomb as he came at them. Hodge's cyborg body had been upgraded with a shield generator and he could block most energy based attacks and projectiles. Fortunately, he hadn't counted on Siryn's incredible power and her devastating scream severely damaged him, causing several systems to reboot.

"Shan! Now!" Wrath yelled as he leaped on Hodge's back, taking advantage of the shield being knocked out. Boomer's powers weren't limitless and she still needed time to recover from all the fighting. Wrath and Xian's combined efforts broke through Hodge's psi-shields and she forced him to the ground as Wrath ripped open the panel on his back and tore out the circuitry controlling the shield generator. Wrath's gifted intellect and his knowledge of engineering were being put to good use as he took Hodge apart piece by piece.

"Why are you doing this?!" Hodge screamed in fear and anger. "You're a human! You're one of us! Why are you helping these filthy mutants?!"

"Shut yer damn mouth! I'm nothin' like you!" Wrath screamed as he disabled Hodge's rocket launcher. "Screw this! I'll just rip yer head off!" Wrath snarled as he leaped onto his neck.

"I think not!" Hodge yelled as he finally overpowered them and broke free of their possession. "Now die!" He yelled as he lashed out at Wrath with one of his spiked legs, impaling him through the shoulder as he tried to block. He hurled Wrath into the side of the building, flattened Boomer with is tail and blasted Warpath with his energy cannons. Cannonball and Siryn were still busy with the last sentinel and couldn't stop him as he leaped onto Xian and impaled her left leg with the vicious barbs on his legs as she screamed in agony.

"I only wish I could make this last longer you filthy mutant bitch." He hissed as he prepared to finish her. "When I'm done with your brother and sister they'll…." He never got the chance to finish as Cannonball slammed into him, knocking him away from her.

"Hold still!" Wolfsbane ordered as she came to Xian's aid. She was horribly injured and bleeding profusely, but she was still conscious and Wolfsbane knew what to do. She ripped off Xian's belt and used it for a tourniquet, clinching down with her super strength and stopping the bleeding as Xian screamed in pain. "This is _really_goin' tae hurt." She warned as she clamped off the severed blood vessels. Xian cried out in agony, the pain was so intense she passed out, but Wolfsbane saved her life. "Here, this will help…." Wolfsbane said as she gave her a little pain-killer. "I'm sorry…yui're in shock…I cannae give ye anymore." She said as she quickly dragged Xian behind cover as she regained consciousness.

"How are you still alive?!" Hodge yelled as Warpath and Wrath rejoined the battle.

"Your aim sucks!" Warpath snapped. "And it's gonna take a lot more than that pop gun to stop me!"

"Do ya really think _this_ is the worst thing that's ever happened t' me?!" Wrath sneered as he injected emergency cauterizing foam into his wound, stopping the bleeding. Hodge's bard had gone clear through, shredding his flesh and leaving him a bloody mess, but he wasn't about to back down. It hurt like hell, but the foam would keep him from bleeding out so he could still fight.

"I'll kill you!" Hodge hissed as he quickly lashed out with his electrified tentacles and immobilized Siryn and Warpath.

"Eat this!" Boomer yelled as she hurled more of her bombs at him.

"Filthy little brat!" Hodge shrieked. "I'll tear you apart!" He yelled as he unleashed more tentacles at Boomer, only to have them shot in half by Wrath with his pistol.

"Damn you!" Hodge yelled as he whirled and slammed one of his legs into him, knocking him away as Cannonball blasted at him, trying to free Warpath and Siryn. He knew Siryn could pulverize him in his weakened condition, but he was still a match for all of them.

_'Wrath! Get on your feet! You and Boomer have to distract him long enough for me to dive bomb him!'_ Cannonball ordered as he prepared to blast off.

Wolfsbane unleashed a blood-chilling howl and plowed into Hodge like a freight train, knocking him off his feet and sending him crashing into the dirt. Seeing them all being brutalized like that was just too much for her and she'd unleashed the full fury of her mutation. She was 8'0" 750lbs of pure fury and superhuman strength, hell-bent on destroying Hodge. He had no time to recover or react as she attacked, ripping off one of his legs and tearing through his armor with her claws.

"No! Get off me you freak!" He screamed as she leaped onto his back. He struck at her with his tail, but she tore it off and smashed her fist into him, knocking him down again. She ripped off another leg as he stabbed at her and grabbed his head in her claws as he continued to struggle against her. "NO!" he screamed as she wrenched his head sideways, severing most of his neural connections and causing his body to collapse. She ripped his head off as she stood up and then hurled it into the dirt at her feet.

"Rahne…he can't hurt us anymore…ya need t' calm down." Cannonball said gently, trying to calm her. She couldn't control herself when she was like this and she was just as likely to attack them as Hodge. Donald Pierce had kidnapped Rahne and Roberto years earlier and experimented with their powers, causing them to drastically increase. Poor Rahne had turned into an animal and attacked everyone until Moira and Spiderman had helped her regain control. Rahne was strong, but even she had her limits and she'd reached them today. Wrath reached out to her, but she snapped at him and growled viciously.

"Rahne…it's me." Boomer said as she approached her feral friend. Wolfsbane growled at her and backed away as she fought to restrain her feral instincts. "Please don't do this, remember who you are…and what you mean to me." She cried as her eyes filled with tears.

"Remember what you mean to all of us." Wrath said as he linked her mind to all of theirs, letting her feel their love for her. Wolfsbane shrank back to her natural form and began to cry she was so frightened and ashamed of what she'd done. She felt like a monster and she was horrified that she'd snapped at Wrath and snarled at Boomer like that.

"I'm so sorry…." She sobbed. "I'm an animal…."

"You're not an animal, you're our little sister and we love you." Siryn said as she and Boomer held her in their arms. Wrath came to comfort her as well; he'd snapped in battle before and he didn't hold it against her. He hated the fact that he hadn't been strong enough to subdue Hodge earlier; that she'd been forced to resort to this to save them.

"I've got tae get back tae Shan." Wolfsbane said as she regained her composure.

"Damn it, Mike…" Cannonball said as they came to Xian's aid. She was pale from the loss of blood and the pain of her injuries and they needed to get her back to the mansion immediately if they were going to have any chance of saving her leg. It looked like a lost cause, it was mutilated and the clamps sticking out of the wounds were a disturbing sight even for them. Wolfsbane tried to loosen the tourniquet a little, but she started bleeding immediately so she had to tighten it again.

"Leave him alone…you needed my help." Xian said weakly. "Both of us together could barely hold him down long enough to take out his shields." She gasped.

"We'll talk about it later Mike…we need to get these people out of here." Sam said. "Where's Laura?"

"In th' bunker with th' civilians." Mike said. He felt horrible and he'd never forgive himself for what had happened to Xian. Sam felt horrible as well, he'd done an excellent job of planning despite the short notice, but the last thing he'd expected was sentinels. Trask Industries was a legitimate cybernetics company with numerous government contracts and the last thing anyone expected was for them to aid known terrorists like RIGHT. It made no sense to sell arms to these fanatics when there was more money to be made from doing business legally. As awful and costly as this battle had been, it just might be the one that finally shut Trask down once their involvement with RIGHT became public knowledge. Still, that was no comfort to any of them as Xian cried out in pain again.

"Forge, we need evac, we've got wounded." Sam said as he saw the PACRAT de-cloak in the distance and begin flying toward them.

"She's not answering!" Theresa said, as everyone became alarmed. Everyone but Rahne ran for the bunker and Mike immediately began searching for her with his telepathy. He hadn't wanted to leave her alone and he was terrified that something had happened to her.

"Rahne!"Mike screamed as he came upon the horrific sight. Laura was lying in front of a wrecked sentinel, burned beyond recognition; barely alive and in unbearable pain. She'd taken out two of the Nimrod prototypes by herself, but she'd paid the price for her bravery and given her life to save the civilians. The second sentinel had analyzed her powers as she fought off the first one and it had used a flamethrower on her to overwhelm her healing factor. She was burned over 99% of her body; even her lungs and throat were burned and her injuries had overwhelmed her healing factor. Anyone else would have already died and her powers were only prolonging her suffering. She might have survived if she was an adult, but her powers weren't fully mature yet like Wolverine's and she was dying.

"Kids…safe?" She choked out as Mike raised his mask and knelt down beside her, taking her hand in his. Laura's lungs had nearly given out and her eyelids had been burned away; she was blind and dying in agony, but she was still thinking about the children.

"Yeah…they're fine, you saved 'em." He told her as he fought to control his emotions. _'God…I know people say she's just a clone and she's not real, but I know what I feel in her right now and I know she has a soul…she can't ask for salvation, she doesn't know how…so I'm asking for her. It's not her fault, she's never had a choice, she's never had a chance. Take her away from all this; she's had to pay for other people's sins long enough.'_ He prayed as he tried to comfort her. He hoped Rahne had enough painkiller left to make her final moments bearable; there was no hope for her and he couldn't stand to see her suffering like this. He tried to enter her mind to turn off the pain receptors in her brain, but her mental defenses were too strong for him and her pain and suffering began to overwhelm him.

Tabitha and Theresa were both tough and they didn't give in to emotion on missions, but neither could hold back their tears as the awful realization that Laura was dying hit them. Her life had been nothing but misery and pain and even though she'd died so these children could live; it didn't make her loss any more bearable for them. Even Mike and James were visibly affected, as was Rahne as she dropped to her knees beside Laura weeping bitterly.

'_Tell me I'm wrong and there's something you can do for her.'_ Mike said as he entered Rahne's mind.

'_No…there's not enough time.'_ Rahne said as she pulled her last vial of painkiller out of her kit. The Shiar medical equipment at the institute _might_ be able to heal her, but they were too far away; she would never survive the flight home. Her injuries were so severe that she didn't think even Josh would be able to save her.

'_That's all you have?'_ Holmes asked.

'_It's not enough…..'_ Rahne told him. _'But it's all I can do for her…it won't hurt as much.'_ She said as she gave Laura the injection.

"Laura…I know ya still got doubts about yerself…but ya proved who ya really are today, yer're not a weapon, yer're a hero." Mike said as he wiped his eyes. He was devastated by Laura's loss and he made no effort to hide it. He couldn't break her mental defenses to ease her pain and it was unbearable for him to feel her suffering and not be able to help her.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Rahne said, quoting John 15:13 to Laura. "Dinnae be afraid Laura, ye'll be wit' God today." Rahne told her held her other hand and began to pray for her.

"I'm sorry Laura…." James said as he, Theresa and Tabitha knelt down with the others beside her. When Illyana had died he'd made a vow that he wouldn't let anyone else die, he'd protect them no matter what, but he'd failed. As strong as he was and as hard as he'd fought, he hadn't been able to save Laura and even though he was trying not to show it, he was just as upset as the others.

"I'm not loosing anyone else." Sam said as watched Laura fight for her life with every agonized breath. He was out of options and he'd be damned if he was just going to give up and watch Laura die like this. James looked up as Sam activated a small homing beacon.

* * *

**Next Issues: The fate of X-23 is revealed and a new plot is uncovered!**


	4. X-Force 4: Dreams End Part I

The X-Force, a special operations unit formed by Charles Xavier's former students, the New Mutants, stand ready to strike at the enemies of the mutant race. Their aggressive approach to the conflict between humanity and the mutants has put them at odds with their mentor and the X-Men. However, with the mutant nation of Genosha reduced to ashes and anti-mutant hysteria raging after the war with Apocalypse, the X-Force may be the best hope for the survival of the mutants.

**Previously**

The peace of the previous day was shattered as Mike and Monet began what promises to be an epic feud; much to the displeasure of Sam and Theresa who are trying to keep the peace with the X-Men. To make matters worse, Danielle's anger and resentment toward baseline humans, SHIELD _and_ the Avengers threatened team unity and her friendship with Rahne. X-Force couldn't even finish a meal together before Danielle, Tabitha, Rahne and Mike were all embroiled in conflict. Sam and Theresa quickly put an end to the infighting, but now they both question their decision on put Danielle back on the team. Rahne was very upset by the confrontation and tried to pray about her situation, but her quiet moment was interrupted by another of Josh Foley's unwanted romantic advances.

X-Force began training for a dangerous mission against the anti-mutant terrorist group, RIGHT, led by the deranged cyborg, Cameron Hodge. Unfortunately, their carefully made plans unraveled when it was revealed RIGHT was much further along in their plan than the team realized. With young mutants lives at stake the team had no choice but to go in immediately, trusting their expert training and their secret member Cypher to bring them victory. Sam and Theresa led most of X-Force to attack Hodge while Mike, Tabitha and Laura (X-23) rescued the captives before Hodge could test the rebuilt Genengineering lab on them. The assault team was surprised by prototype Nimrod sentinels, but one of the captives, Xian Coy Manh (Karma), helped turn the tide of battle. Xian was seriously injured by Hodge and Rahne had to finish him off by unleashing her ultimate werewolf form; nearly losing control in the process.

X-Force found the captives unharmed, but Laura had been horribly burned by the last of the Nimrod sentinels. Her injuries overwhelmed her healing factor and there was nothing Rahne could do to save her. Mike held himself responsible for both Xian and Laura and he was deeply affected. Sam always has a plan, but it seems that even he is out of options…or is he?

This Issue:

X-Force: Cannonball, Boomer, Siryn, Warpath, Wrath, Wolfsbane, Mirage

X-Men: Wolverine, Beast, Cyclops, Emma, Dr. Reyes, Storm, Dr. Nemesis, Forge

Students: X-23, Mercury, Elixir, Prodigy, Wolf Cub, DJ, Dryad, Anole, Rockslide, Hellion, Surge, Pixie, Tag, Loa

Faculty Members: Karma, Sharon Friedlander, Annie Ghazikhanian

* * *

**X-Force # 4: Dreams End – Part I**

**RIGHT Genetics Facility**

"I'm not loosing anyone else." Sam said as watched Laura fight for her life with every agonized breath. He was out of options and he'd be damned if he was just going to give up and watch Laura die like this. James looked up as Sam activated a small homing beacon.

"Sam?" James asked as he saw him activate the beacon.

"No choice Jimmy…ya'll aren't expendable." Sam said. The others were startled by a roar and a blinding flash of pink light. Everyone but Sam was shocked to see their six armed, silver-haired nemesis Spiral standing before them. Spiral had briefly aided them in their battle against Apocalypse, but as always, she had ulterior motives and none of them trusted her. She'd also clashed with Mike during his time with the Avengers and both were shocked to see each other again.

"I knew you'd reconsider _Cannonballs_." Spiral said provocatively as she continued to glare at Mike.

"What the hell are you doing here you skeevy tramp?!" Tabitha demanded. Spiral gave her a disdainful look and flipped her off with all six hands. Tabitha had gotten the better of her in their last battle and she'd take any opportunity to infuriate or humiliate her.

"Why do waste your time with this little brat?" Spiral asked as she approached Sam. "Imagine what _**I**_****could do for you…."

"Do I look like I'm in th' mood fer yer bullshit?!" Sam yelled. "I need ya t' teleport Laura and Xian to th' institute…what do ya want t' do it?!" He asked.

"Your loss…." Spiral sighed. "I don't have any jobs lined up at the moment…but I'm sure I can think of something…."

"This can't be happening." Tabitha exclaimed in disbelief.

"What choice do you have Boom-Boom?" Spiral asked. "Your little friends char-broiled and I'm her only hope." She sneered looking at Laura. Tabitha was so angry she wanted to blast her to ashes, but Laura and Xian's lives were too important and she held back.

"Stop wasting time!" James yelled at her. Laura was choking to death right there in front of him and he couldn't stand it. He knew how hateful and cruel Spiral could be and he was sick at the thought of Sam being in her debt.

"You know what Sam? I don't think I want anything from you after all." Spiral said. She could see how desperate they were to save Laura and she knew she could get exactly what she wanted from him if she kept being cruel. She might be able to get the whole team to go on a mission for her if she played this right.

"Think you can teleport faster than I can put lead in yer ass you squid armed witch?!" Mike growled as his mask snapped back into place and he pointed his pistol at her. "You don't want anything from him?! Well, I _know_ ya want _somethin'_ from me." He said as he cocked the hammer. Spiral hadn't expected this, but she decided to take Mike's bargain. He didn't seem entirely stable now and she knew she could manipulate _him_ more easily than the whole team.

"Mike! SHUT UP!" Sam ordered. He didn't want anyone else involved with Spiral and Mike was ruining his plan. Mike might be gifted, but Spiral was devious and he might really be in over his head now.

"We've got a deal." Spiral said coldly. "And if you don't honor it, I'll…"

"If they don't make it, neither will you." Mike interrupted. "Get movin'." He ordered. He hated Spiral and he was sick of her ridiculous posturing; she had what she wanted and Laura didn't have any time left. He wasn't going to let Sam pay for his mistakes and put himself in her power. He'd lost his best friend in the war, he felt responsible for Xian and Laura and there was no way he was going to lose Sam too.

"Pick her up fleabag, I don't want to smell like burned bacon the rest of the day." Spiral scoffed as Rahne picked up Laura as gently as she could and carried her to Xian's side so Spiral could teleport them all to the institute.

"You better be ready when I come to collect." Spiral said as she gave Mike a menacing look and vanished in a flash of pink light.

"Damn it Mike! What th' hell was that?!" Sam yelled. "Ah had a plan damn it!"

**"I'M NOT LOSIN' ANYBODY ELSE!"** Mike yelled back, getting visibly agitated.

"Michael…I know ye feel responsible fer Laura, but ye didn't bring her on the mission and none of us could have planned fer the sentinels." Theresa said calmly. "She's got a chance now; Josh is an omega level healer…he can save her." She told him. Mike's PTSD had gone untreated for too long and seeing Xian and Laura suffering like that had pushed him over the edge. She'd seen this too many times, soldiers pushed beyond their limits, forced to endure horrors no one should ever have to see, forced make impossible choices and then cast aside when they finally broke and couldn't take it anymore.

"Holmes!" Sam yelled, getting right in his face. "We don't have time fer a pity party! Pull yerself together soldier! This thing ain't over and Ah need ya dialed in! Do you get me?!" He barked. Mike'a demeanor instantly changed and while it was obvious he was still angry and hurt, he _did_ seem much more focused again.

"I get you." Mike said coldly. He was stubborn and sometimes a little arrogant, but he was a professional soldier who followed orders and kept his head in battle. Sam had never seen him give in so completely to his emotions that he acted without thinking and he felt bad that he hadn't recognized just how broken he was. He realized Mike never had time to deal with the loss of his best friend or all he'd been through and he hated himself for yelling at him and being so heartless. Still, he couldn't have him going to pieces on a mission like that so he'd dealt with it the only way he could.

"Good." Sam said as he handed Holmes back his assault rifle. "Now you and Jimmy grab all th' weapons and ammo ya can and get back to th' RAT…Cypher says we got SHIELD inbound ETA twenty minutes." He ordered.

"Fashionably late as usual." Tabitha said sarcastically.

"You and Terry grab those kids and get 'em secure while me and Forge get Hodge…he's not gettin' away again." He told her as Forge joined them. Holmes and James headed for the armory as Tabitha and Theresa blasted open the door to the bunker and led the children to safety of the PACRAT. Sam and Forge went after Hodge while Cypher finished cleaning out all of RIGHT's bank accounts. Hodge had accumulated millions of dollars for his war against the mutant race, but now all his dirty money would go toward paying X-Force, maintaining the PACRAT and their other equipment and helping the kids and their families if they had any. Sam made sure X-Force didn't take any of the professor's money; they financed their own operation with the money they stole from their enemies.

* * *

**Outside the Command Center**

"How's that deal with the devil working out for you Cameron?" Forge asked as he and Sam walked up to the smoking ruin of Hodge's mechanized body. He'd sold his soul to the demon N'astirh for immortality in an attempt to take revenge on the X-Men after the fall of Genosha. He'd kidnapped Angel to lure the others, but his evil plan was undone by the newest member of the team, Psylocke. She freed the others and Hodge discovered too late that while the demon had granted him immortality, he was far from indestructible. Psylocke decapitated him to save Angel, but he survived thanks to the demon's unholy magic and though his mind had become unhinged from the trauma, he was still a formidable foe. He'd returned in a surprise attack on the institute several years ago, nearly killing the New Mutants and many of the X-Men. Fortunately, Theresa and Sam were able to free the others and stop Hodge, but not before he'd severely injured Rahne, and Forge who was trying to protect her. Hodge had escaped, but now his reign of terror was at an end, Sam and Forge were going to make sure of it.

"Go to hell you mutant trash!" Hodge shrieked, glaring up at them from down in the dirt where Rahne had thrown him. His smug superiority was gone, all his plans for revenge were utterly destroyed and even the sentinels had failed to bring him victory against his hated enemies. He was completely helpless thanks to Rahne and despite his immortality, he was terrified.

"Ah hope that things sound proof…." Sam said as he snatched Hodge up by his neural connections and dropped him into the stasis capsule Forge was carrying.

"Once it's activated he won't be able to talk." Forge told him. "We can keep him in suspended animation forever if we have too…he won't be conscious." He explained.

"Better than he deserves." Sam said, thinking about what would have happened to those kids if the team hadn't arrived in time. He and the other New Mutants were only children when the X-Men freed the mutants of Genosha, but he knew about all the horrible experiments the government had done to turn the mutants into living weapons with no regard for their own lives. Hodge was about to unleash that same nightmare on these innocent children and he didn't deserve mercy.

"You can't do this to me!" Hodge yelled.

"Shut up before Ah fergit Ah'm better than you!" Sam snapped as he slammed the lid of the container shut on him. "Make sure ya hide that…I don't want him scaring th' kids anymore." Sam said as he and Forge started back toward the PACRAT. They'd already seen too much evil and he didn't want them exposed to satanic magic as well.

"I didn't think Larry Trask would go this far…his father maybe, but this…this is insane." Forge said as they walked past the mangled assault suits, wrecked sentinels and dead RIGHT agents.

"Me neither…but they're not getting away with it, not this time." Sam said. Bolivar Trask wanted mutants exterminated, but Larry, who had replaced his father as head of Trask Industries, was focused on the business. Trask Industries was the worlds leading robotics manufacturer for both military and medical applications. They were the world leader in cybernetic limbs and in the wake of the Genoshan Purge Larry was eager to focus on the good the company had done. The sentinel program had been put on hold after the purge, but since the war it had been reactivated, albeit with restrictions. Larry had no love for mutants either and while he was focused on protecting humans from violent mutants like Magneto, he recognized the danger posed by the Nimrod artificial intelligence.

"SHIELD will have to step in after this." Forge told him.

"Like last time?" Sam asked sarcastically.

"Sam…your team…"

"They can take it Forge." Sam said bluntly. "Too many people have died; we have to end this now." He said.

"It _never_ ends Sam." Forge said.

"Do ya think Ah don't know that?!" He yelled. "Do ya think Ah wanna throw Mike back in th' meat grinder after what he's been through?!" He yelled again. "Ah just saw ma little sister turn into an animal! Tabby still has nightmares and wakes me up cryin'…Terry and Jimmy are screwed up fer life and Ah probably killed Laura!" He said. "Ah've never believed in that "ends justifies th' means" bullshit; but sixteen million people are dead because of those things and _they_ volunteered to stop them. Ah'm doin' th' best Ah can fer 'em Forge…but right now, we don't have a choice, they were this close to destroyin' th' institute and we're all prepared t' die to keep that from happenin'." Sam told him as they walked up the ramp of the PACRAT.

* * *

**The PACRAT**

"Put him down here." Theresa told Nicholas as he laid Mark down on the collapsible stretcher they kept in the PACRAT's medical station. The young wolf mutant curled up against the wall next to Mark's stretcher with a blank stare on his furry face. He was trying to process everything that had just happened to him, but he was only thirteen and he was so shaken he didn't know what to do. He'd been kidnapped, beaten and caged like an animal; then he'd been rescued by two of the most terrifying people he'd ever seen and subjected to unspeakable violence as they fought to save him. He'd just seen a girl, barely older than himself, burned alive screaming in pain and it was just too much for him. He didn't know who X-Force was and he didn't know who was going to take care of him now, or where he was going to live. He fought back against his animal instincts; the urge to run was almost overpowering, but he was an orphan and he had nowhere else to go.

"Where did he learn first aid? Butcher school?" Theresa asked as she changed the field dressing on Mark's wound. She'd been shot before; she knew how bad it hurt and she wished Rahne was there to take care of him.

"He was kind of in a hurry." Mark said bluntly. He was older and better able to deal with what had just happened to him, but he was still on edge and he didn't realize Theresa was joking.

"Wha's ye're name?" Theresa asked, changing the subject. She hadn't really meant anything by what she'd said; X-Force often teased each other to lighten the mood and relieve stress and none of them took it seriously. Mark was sixteen and he'd never really had a father figure in his life, so naturally he saw a man like Mike as a role model.

"Mark Sheppard…and that's Nick Gleason." He said, nodding toward the still trembling werewolf next to him. "The elf chick is Callie Betto…she controls plants and Madelyn and Haley are sisters…they've got some kind of earth power, but they're too young to _really_ use it." He explained. "Those two are Nga and Leong…I don't think they have powers yet." He said. They were both pre-teens so it was natural; Theresa was really surprised that Madelyn and Haley had powers already; they couldn't be more than eight or nine.

"Don't make fun of my ears Mark!" Callie snapped. She was fifteen, very tall and very pretty, with long, light brown hair, green eyes and a darker skin tone like Laura. Her pointed ears were the only outward sign of her mutation and she'd obviously been teased relentlessly about them.

"We can't all look like a Greek god like you do!" She spat. Mark was blessed with an incredible body and rugged good lucks; his dark hair and blue eyes won him a lot of attention from girls and he was very flirtatious.

"Callie…I wasn't trying to be mean…that came out wrong, I think you're beautiful." Mark said, trying his best to apologize to her. They'd all bonded over the past week of captivity and he really respected the quiet strength that Callie possessed.

"Why are we even talking about this?!" She snapped. "That girls dead because of us!" She said as her voice broke and her eyes filled with tears. Callie couldn't be strong any longer and broke down crying as Theresa wrapped her in a blanket and sat down next to her. Mark was sick over what had happened to Laura as well and he wished he'd been able to save her, but his powers only worked if he was listening to music. She was the bravest person he'd ever met and she didn't deserve to die so horribly, but he'd never forget what she'd done for him and he wanted to honor her memory, despite his fear.

"Laura's not dead." Theresa said as she let Callie cry on her shoulder. "Mike made a deal to get her back to the institute…we've got the best equipment and a healer there…she's going to make it." She said, praying that was true.

"Who?" Callie asked, between sobs. "Do you mean Wrath?"

"Yeah…I know he probably seems like a monster Callie, but he's really a nice guy under all that armor." Tabitha told her. Callie had grown up in a stable, loving home and she'd never been exposed to violence, but she wasn't scared of Mike or Laura; they'd saved her and she knew they had to be good people.

"His real name is Michael, I'm Theresa and that's Tabitha." She said, pointing to the beautiful blonde sitting with the youngsters. "James is the big guy with the war paint and Sam is our leader. Rahne was the werewolf ye might have seen…she's our medic so she had to go with Laura."

"What happened to my sister?" Leong asked. He was trying to be brave for Nga, but he was worried sick about Xian and he wished she hadn't gone to fight Hodge again. She'd tried to escape and free the others two days earlier, but he'd defeated her and the guards had given her an awful beating in front of them.

"She's got hurt fighting the bad guys with us." Tabitha said as she sat beside Leong and Nga. "We sent her to th' doctor with our friend Laura." She told them. "She's going to be ok." She added reassuringly as she continued to comfort them. The six year old twins were remarkably calm given all they'd just been through and it was obvious they'd seen a lot of hardship in their short lives. Tabitha couldn't get Xian's words about her parents being murdered out of her mind and she prayed with the twins for her recovery; she was all they had left in the world.

She turned her attention to Madelyn and Haley; they were a little older than the twins, but they seemed to have bonded with them after their horrible ordeal and Tabitha was glad they had each other. They were all frightened and unsure of what to expect at the institute, just as she'd been when she arrived, but they'd help each other just like Rahne and Theresa helped her.

"Are we going to be flying long?" Madelyn asked Tabitha. "We get sick if we're away from the ground for too long…it's our powers."

"Just for an hour." Tabitha told her. _'That "earth power" of theirs must be pretty intense if they have to always be in contact with the ground.'_ She thought as she looked them over. They were pretty little blonde girls with blue eyes like hers, but like her, there was nothing out of the ordinary about their appearance. _'Kids this age shouldn't be developing powers…I hope there's nothing wrong with them.'_ She thought. She was a lot smarter than most people gave her credit for, but she knew next to nothing about genetics and she decided it wouldn't help to worry until Dr. McCoy checked them out.

"Can we live at the institute with you?" Haley asked.

"What about your parents?" Tabitha asked.

"They don't want us…" She said as she began to cry and Tabitha took her in her arms. She knew exactly how the poor little girl felt and she was grateful that they had a place to go so they wouldn't suffer the way she and Rahne had.

"Of course you can." She told her as she fought back her own tears. "Nobody's gonna hurt ya'll again."

"Are you guys part of the X-Men?" Mark asked Theresa, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his leg. Wrath said they were "X-Force" but he didn't see an X on anyone's costume and he didn't recognize any of them from the news reports he'd seen.

"No, we're **_X-Force_**." Tabitha interrupted. "You'd still be in there if we were X-Men. **_We_******go looking for trouble and then we blow it to hell when we find it." She said. Mark didn't really know what to say, but it was clear he'd struck a nerve so he decided it was better to say nothing. Tabitha's sadness had quickly turned to anger as she held Haley in her arms. The X-Men seemed to have forgotten about Hodge, but he clearly hadn't forgotten about them and she didn't want to think what would have happened to these kids if _they_ hadn't been keeping track of RIGHT.

"We're on the same side, we just don't agree on how to achieve Professor Xavier's dream." Theresa explained. "We're taking ye back to the institute…ye'll be safe there." She told them. "Ye'll have lots of friends…we've taken in a lot of mutants yer age and the schools going public in the fall."

"Will we have to learn to fight?" Callie asked, drying her eyes.

"Ye'll have to learn to control yer powers and how to protect yerself, but no one is going to ask ye to fight if ye don't want to." Theresa told her. "Ye deserve to be able to choose yer own path in life and the institute wasn't built to train super hero's…it was built so we could learn to help people." She said as she brushed the hair out of Callie's eyes. "Ye can grow food to feed people with yer powers…that's a gift worth learning to use properly." She added as Callie managed a weak smile and hugged her.

"I wanna learn to fight." Nicholas said darkly. "Next time those stinking humans come for me, I'll be ready."

"Mikes a human." Theresa said emphatically. "Me best friend was adopted by humans; they're not all like that Nick and if ye think that way then yer're not any better than RIGHT." She said as Nicholas looked at her in stunned disbelief.

"But…how did he…"

"He's a super powered human, not a mutant." She interrupted. "Ye just remember wha' he did fer ye the next time ye start to feel that way…that goes fer all of ye." She said as Mike and James dragged several large containers loaded with weapons and ammunition up the ramp and the PACRAT's engines roared to life.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**Medical**** Bay**** -Trauma Room One**

"Prep the healing pod and get Josh in here now!" Hank ordered as David began to prep the Shiar healing pods and Rahne laid Laura on the operating table. He'd never seen anyone so badly injured still clinging to life and he was determined to save her no matter how hopeless it seemed. There was a slim chance she would pull through if they could find some intact skin to regenerate and Josh could heal her lungs and airway. Dr. Nemesis and Rahne quickly cut away what little remained of her uniform as Dr. Reyes, Sharon and Annie worked to stabilize Xian.

"Thank ye God!" Rahne exclaimed as she removed Laura's scorched boots and found a small patch of unburned flesh on the bottom of her right foot. "Keep fightin' Laura!" she said as she and Dr. Nemesis worked to save her. Laura had a chance now, but only a very slim one; she'd lost a lot of fluids from having almost all her skin burned away and her vitals were crashing.

Across the room, Dr. Cecelia Reyes was prepping Xian for surgery; she'd taken one look at the scans and knew it was impossible to save her leg. Born to Cuban emigrants in one of New York's worst neighborhoods, she'd worked hard to overcome her humble beginnings and become one of the best trauma surgeons in the country. She'd come to respect both the X-Men and the X-Force during the war and she often volunteered her services to them when she wasn't busy at Our Mother of Mercy Hospital in the Bronx. Annie Ghazikhanian, the only human in the group, had only recently joined the institute staff after her son Carter's powers manifested. She was of Armenian descent and strikingly beautiful; she was also one of the best trauma nurses Dr. Reyes had ever seen. Sharon Friedlander had started life as a human, but an encounter with the Demon Bear, while trying to help a young Danielle Moonstar had changed her life forever. The demon's magic had awakened her dormant X-Gene and she'd been with the X-Men ever sense.

Sharon was an exceptionally skilled E.R. nurse and she and Annie had Xian ready for surgery in no time. Rahne had done a good job, as always, but the injuries were just too severe and they all agreed that amputation was the only option. Xian took the news better than expected, but Annie could see the fear in her eyes and she and Sharon did their best to comfort her as they got ready to put her under. Xian couldn't ask for a better team, they were so focused on her that none of them even heard the door open and Hank yelling at Josh.

"What are you standing there for?!" Hank roared as he looked up and saw Josh. He was so shocked by the sight of Laura that for a moment he just froze. He wouldn't have known who it was if they hadn't told him she'd been hurt and he wondered if he was strong enough to heal her.

"Josh! Get hold o' yuirself!" Rahne yelled, even at that distance she could sense his anxiety. Josh took a breath and tried to calm down; he was Laura's only hope and he had to come through for her.

"Wh-Where do I start?" Josh stammered as he came to Laura's side.

"Heal her airway and be quick about it!" Hank ordered as he grabbed Josh's hands and forced them onto Laura's chest and abdomen. The sickening stench of burned flesh filled his lungs and he had to fight hard not to be sick as he began to heal her. He'd been horrified when he'd discovered he was a mutant; his parents had disowned him and his whole world seemed to come crashing down around him. He'd embraced his new identity as a "superhero" to escape the pain he felt from being abandoned and treated like an outcast. Now he wondered if he'd made the right choice; seeing his classmate so horribly injured was sobering.

"Tha's it Josh! Yui're doin' it!" Rahne exclaimed as Laura began breathing normally and crying out in pain. She could see how hard this was for him and she did her best to comfort and encourage him as he healed Laura.

"The pod won't be able to stabilize her fast enough…it wasn't designed for the human anatomy." Dr. Nemesis said as he examined the scanner. "Josh! _**You're**_ going to have to regenerate her skin and nerves!" He ordered. Josh nodded and began regenerating her skin from the small patch left on her foot.

"Josh, be careful!" Hank said emphatically. He was monitoring his vitals and his body was under an incredible amount of stress. Regenerating a multiple major organs took a huge amount of energy and Josh had only recently begun his medical training. He was still unskilled and relying on the incredible amount of power he possessed.

"I'm an omega, I can handle it." He said smugly. He was beginning to feel drained, but Rahne's kind words and attention had given him back his confidence and his courage. He wanted to be a hero and save Laura; he wanted Rahne to see how wrong she'd been to choose Mike over him and he wanted to prove to David that he wasn't an immature kid who needed him to watch out for him.

"Don't get cocky you simpleton!" Dr. Nemesis exclaimed. "You have no clue how to use your powers properly!" he chided.

"I can do this!" Josh yelled. Within moments he'd regenerated Laura's skin and nerves, healed her eyes, throat and lungs and even re-grown her hair, but it had cost him dearly. He was so weak he could barely stand up, but he didn't want to show any weakness in his moment of glory.

"She's stabilizing." Hank said checking the scanner for her vital signs. "David! Help Ms. Sinclair take Laura to the pod, I'll be in to check on her shortly." He ordered as he tried to comfort her. She was disoriented and still in pain, though nothing like she had been. The Shiar medical equipment would heal her while she slept and give her healing factor a chance to recover.

"Not bad for a snot-nosed kid huh?" Josh asked derisively, trying his best to rub it in. Rahne was not impressed by his cocky attitude and gave him a cold look as she quickly covered Laura with a sheet. The poor girl was completely naked and she'd suffered enough indignity in her life already without her classmate staring at her like that.

"Nemesis, will you see if Cecelia needs any assistance…it appears Mr. Foley has overexerted himself." Hank said as he noticed how pale Josh had become.

"I am no one's assistant…I'll send her out to play "house" with you and that egotistical nuisance now that the easy part is over." Dr. Nemesis hissed as he opened the airlock to the operating room.

* * *

**Medical**** Bay**** – Intensive Care Unit**

"Why did they do that to save me?" Laura asked weakly as David hooked her up to the alien machine. She couldn't understand why Sam and Mike would put themselves in such a position for her. She hardly had any friends, most of the students made it clear they thought she was a monster and wasn't welcome. Emma Frost thought she was dangerous and tortured her with visions of her dead mother trying to drive her away. She would have run away weeks ago if it weren't for Cessily; she'd told Ororo what was happening to Laura and she'd been protecting her ever since. Ororo was furious; if anyone belonged at the institute it was Laura and she'd made it clear she wouldn't tolerate _anyone_ treating her badly. Laura had no control over how she was brought into the world or what had happened to her at the Facility and she deserved a chance to build a real life for herself. Rahne had also become aware of what was going on and like Ororo; she'd admonished the students several times when she'd caught them gossiping about Laura or about Cessily for being her friend.

"We're X-Force…we're nae jus' a team, we're a family, we love each other and we dinnae leave anyone behind." Rahne told her.

"You act like you think I am a real person..." Laura said as tears began to well up in her eyes. She was grateful for Rahne's kind words and for Sam and Mike's selfless actions. They had treated her like a real person, like her life had value and she was overwhelmed with emotion that they accepted her when so many of the others refused too. X-Force knew what Laura had done, but they also knew she'd been forced to do it. They'd discovered the top secret Weapon PLUS program during the war and they'd put an end to the Weapon X program after the war ended. They had witnessed the horror of what Laura had endured first hand and they were all deeply affected by the experience.

"Ye _**are**_ a real person." Rahne said emphatically. "Ye gave yuir life fer children ye've ne'er even met…Mike was right, yuir're nae a monster, yuir're a hero and yuir mum would be so proud of ye if she could see who ye've become." Rahne said as she brushed a tear from her cheek. There was no doubt in her mind now that Laura really did have a soul and it actually made her sick to think about what those horrible people had done to her. Rahne felt God was calling her to help Laura overcome the trauma they'd inflicted on her, just as her friends and family had helped her.

"You're going to be fine Laura." David said reassuringly as he ran a full scan on her. He didn't know if Rahne was right, but he could see the other students were dead wrong about Laura and he was ashamed he hadn't done more to stop them from being cruel to her. She might not be very good at expressing or understanding her emotions, but she still had them and he couldn't imagine how horrible she must feel. He made up his mind he was going to stand up to the others along with Megan and Cessily and follow Ms. Munro and Ms. Sinclair's example.

"Yui're nae alone anymore." Rahne said as David made the final adjustments to the pod. "Things will be better Laura, I promise." Rahne told her as she drifted off to sleep. The machine looked a little like a hospital bed from the Star Trek TV shows, when it was open, but now that it had closed, it resembled a sarcophagus with a class panel to view the patient. There was a soft hiss as it formed an airlock and a gentle hum as it stabilized the internal environment and began to heal her.

"Are you alright Ms. Sinclair?" David asked as they walked to the door. He knew she was concerned for Laura and Xian, but she was strong and brave and he was surprised that she seemed so shaken and vulnerable now.

"No." Rahne said quietly. She'd managed to hold herself together this long because she had to, but she was seriously disturbed and frightened by her ultimate transformation. She'd defeated Hodge, but she nearly lost control of herself and she'd endangered the others in her rage. She hated herself for giving in to her anger and the savage impulses of the wolf; she'd wanted to kill Hodge, but it wasn't for her to pass judgment.

* * *

**Aboard the PACRAT En-Route to the Xavier Institute**

"What happened to Mike?" Tabitha asked as she, Sam and Theresa tried to care for the RIGHT's victims as best they could. The MRE's they kept onboard weren't very good, but the kids were so hungry they didn't care. _'Ugh…these things are so nasty.'_ Tabitha thought as she tore open the packages and poured in the water to activate the chemical heat. She'd eaten plenty of them during the war and they brought back a lot of bad memories of being cold, hungry and scared.

"He lost his best friend on a mission." Sam said, remembering the first time he'd met Mike and Jesse Aaronson during the war. Mike wasn't nearly as grim and brooding as he was now and Jesse always seemed to be able to make him laugh and keep him from taking things too seriously. "Hawkeye and Black Widow's team got shot down behind th' line and nearly overrun…Jesse and Mike jumped in and held th' Infinites off long enough t' evacuate 'em, but they got captured and taken t' Mikhail." He told her. "That sick bastard tortured th' hell out of Mike." Sam said. "He plugged Jesse into some kind of machine to amp up his powers and used him to break through th' defense net on Staten Island." He said. Jesse's powers wreaked havoc on the base, disrupting electronic systems and triggering neural spasms, debilitating everyone. The base had been heavily damaged, a lot of soldiers and civilians died and Captain America and Wasp were seriously wounded.

"But Mikhail died in that battle…how could he lose with a weapon like that?" Tabitha asked.

"Mike broke 'em out during th' battle and Jesse used his powers to destroy Mikhail's techno-mesh armor and crash the ship…Mike killed Mikhail, but Jesse died from overusing his powers." Sam told her as he finished preparing the MRE's for Madelyn and Haley.

"And SHIELD just patched him up and sent him right back out didn't they?" She asked as Sam nodded. Tabitha shook her head in disgust; she had a pretty good idea what was going on in Mike's head now and she was really worried about him. Mike was strong, but everyone had their limit; he'd reached his and he needed help dealing with everything he'd been through. He was really stubborn and she didn't know how easy it would be to convince him to go to counseling, but hopefully his relationship with Rahne would be enough motivation. She and Sam had gotten help together and Rahne was still seeing a specialist once a month Theresa had finally gotten help with her alcoholism before it was too late, but something told her Mike would be more reasonable. Mike was far from perfect, but at his core he was still a good man who hadn't given in to the hate and anger yet. He'd only resorted to lethal force to protect the children and his compassion for them and for Laura told Tabitha everything she needed to know about him.

"This is pretty ugly Mike…you gonna be alright?" James asked as he helped Mike out of his armor vest and mask so he could treat his wound. It was more serious than he thought and he was impressed Mike could move his arm at all. He was extremely tough and he healed at an accelerated rate, but Hodge had made a real mess of him.

"I've had worse…I'll make it." He answered, gritting his teeth as James sprayed more cauterizing foam into the wound. He'd absorbed a lot of Laura's memories while he was trying to ease her suffering and the physical pain he felt was nothing compared to the mental anguish he was experiencing. He knew what had happened to her, he'd read the files, but being in her mind and feeling what she felt; it was worse than being tortured by Mikhail. He felt like crying, but he reminded himself that Laura was strong and he had to be too; he had to stop this madness.

"Ye two go somewhere else to do that." Theresa said as she continued to comfort Callie. The children had already been exposed to too much horror and violence and the sight of Mike's wound was disgusting. The youngest would probably all be scarred for life and need years of therapy to overcome the trauma they'd just been put through.

"It's ok." Callie said quietly.

"Yeah, he saved us…" Mark said as he rolled over on the stretcher and looked up at Mike appreciatively.

"_**We**_ saved y'all." Mike corrected him.

"How did ye get caught?" Theresa asked.

"It was Senator Kelly's fault!" Callie said angrily. "Him and that awful newspaper!"

"That damn hypocrite! I knew this was gonna happen!" Sam fumed. Senator Kelly had been pushing his Mutant Registration Act in the aftermath of the war and unfortunately, he was making progress. Several papers around the country had taken it upon themselves to publish the names and addresses of mutants in their area even though they hadn't done anything wrong. Sam had said that it would open them up to persecution and while many people condemned it, the papers went right ahead with their plans, some even publishing maps online.

"What did I fight for?" Mike asked in a disgusted tone. "What did Jesse die for?!" He yelled as he slammed his fist against the wall, denting it. "Th' damn government's out of control! Buildin' killer robots, spyin' on everybody, treatin' law abidin' citizens like criminals, pissin' on free speech and religious liberties…this is bull…"

"Mike, not in front of the kids." Tabitha interrupted. Mike nodded and looked a little embarrassed, he wasn't above using profanity now and then, but he'd never do it in front of kids. Tabitha agreed with most of what he'd said; she was more of a libertarian in her views and she wasn't happy with the way things were going in Washington either. Mike was definitely conservative, but he was almost as fed up with republicans as he was democrats and he was disgusted with politics in general. Mutants and super humans in general were going to lose no matter what and he was seriously worried for the kid's future.

"I just hope that not _everyone_ in th' media has bought into that crap that we're terrorists." Theresa said grimly. "He has to be held accountable fer this." She added. She'd already ordered Cypher to alert that media, but that might not be enough and Senator Kelly and those newspapers had to pay for what they'd done. She hoped that the professor would be willing to help, especially now that they'd proved Trask was still working on the Nimrod Sentinels.

"Callie…what happened to Laura?" Sam asked as Theresa continued to comfort her. He hated to even ask her, but he was responsible for bringing Laura on the mission and he had to know what happened.

"Wrath said you guys were in trouble so he and Boomer went to help…their sister went too, even though he told her not to." She said, nodding toward Nga and Leong. "Laura hid us in the bunker so we'd be safe, just like Wrath said, but then those two robots started trying to break in and set the place on fire so she had to go fight them." Callie told them. "She stopped the first one, but the other one burned her…she was still fighting it even though she was on fire…" Callie said as she broke down crying again. She'd never seen anything so awful and she didn't think she'd ever be able to forget it. Nicholas whimpered and began to cry as Theresa tried to comfort both of them.

"It's ok Nick." Mark said as he put his hand on the younger boys shoulder. He knew Nicholas was embarrassed to break like that in front of Mike and James, but he didn't have anything to be ashamed of.

Sam felt sick to his stomach as he made his way up to the comm. station near the front of the PACRAT. Nobody should have to see the things he had today, especially not those children. He'd seen it all before during the war, kids broken and robbed of their innocence like Nicholas was; they'd never be the same again and there was nothing he could do.

He knew exactly what was wrong with Mike, there was only so much of this anyone could take before they broke and he'd been drowning in the madness longer than any of them. He knew why Laura was so adamant that he allow her to help, but he still felt terrible about his decision. He prayed she'd survive and he prayed he hadn't damaged her even more; he'd made hard choices before, but this might be the hardest to live with.

_"Med Bay, this is PACRAT, do ya read?"_ He asked as he picked up the microphone. The communication system was encrypted, so he didn't have to worry about SHIELD listening in on them. _"Beast, are ya there?"_He asked after a moment of silence. _'I swear if that witch double crossed us, I'll hunt her down and kill with my bare hands if I have too.'_He thought as an awful thought crept into his mind.

_"Go ahead PACRAT."_ Sharon said as she came on the communication system. _"Make it quick, I'm needed in surgery."_She added.

_"We've got seven hostages, all juveniles…oldest is a white male, sixteen, gunshot wound to the right calf…he's stable."_ Sam told her as Sharon logged the information for Dr. McCoy, Dr. Nemesis and Dr. Reyes. _"Mikes hurt too, massive trauma to the upper left arm and a gunshot wound to his lower right side, he says he'll heal, but he still needs to be examined."_ He said.

_"Understood Sam."_ Sharon said. _"Hurry home."_

_"Sharon…did Laura make it?"_ He asked.

_"Laura's fine Sam, she's in the pod recovering."_ She answered. _"Josh saved her, but he passed out, he's in some kind of coma…Beast is with him now."_ She explained_. "We can't save Xian's leg but she'll pull through…I've got to get back to her…Med Bay out."_ She said as she cut the transmission.

Sam was relieved by the good news for Xian and Laura, but he felt terrible about Josh and he knew Danielle must be worried sick. Despite the fact that Danielle had insulted Tabitha, he still cared for her and he knew she was struggling emotionally already. Even though his team had saved all the hostages, the institute and exposed Trask Industries, this mission felt like a failure. Josh was in a coma, Xian was crippled, Rahne, Holmes and Danielle were emotionally destroyed and Logan would go berserk when he found out about Laura. He was certain Emma Frost was _already_ trying to convince Scott and Ororo to throw them out and he didn't know if the fact they'd just saved the school was going to make any difference.

_'We did the right thing and I'm not backing down from them.'_ He thought as he went to break the news to the others.

"I know I shouldn't have let Shan fight." Mike muttered as Sam sat down beside him. "There's nothin' you can say that'll make me feel worse than I already do." He said.

"Ah'm not blamin' you...Callie said ya told her no, but she went anyway." Sam said.

"She just wanted to protect 'em…she's all they've got." Mike said, looking at the twins.

"Ah just got word from th' institute…Laura and Xian are gonna make it." Sam told him. "Xian's in surgery right now…she's gonna lose her leg, but Forge can give her a new one." He told him. "Josh saved Laura and she's recoverin'…..but he passed out after using all that energy…Beast is tryin' t' figure out what to do fer him." He said.

"Thanks." Mike sighed.

"There was nothin' else you could have done Mike." Sam told him as he got up to tell the others. "Beatin' yerself up ain't gonna help 'em…they don't need you to feel guilty…they need you to be strong and protect 'em."

"What are you going to do about Spiral?" James asked.

"I'm a _genius_" Mike said, making sarcastic finger quotes in the air. "I'll think of some way to screw her over."

"You're the dumbest smart guy I know Mike." James said.

"Tell me about it." Mike muttered.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**Main**** Medical Bay**

"What the hell is wrong with you people?!" Danielle yelled as she confronted Rahne in the medical bay. Josh had been called out of class to save Laura, but now he was the one in peril and she'd rushed to his side the moment she'd heard what happened. Rahne already felt bad enough about Xian's leg and about nearly losing control of herself, but the situation with Josh had her at her breaking point.

"You take a student…**A** **STUDENT** on a mission with you, get her burned up and then sacrifice Josh to bring her back?!" She yelled as she shoved Rahne against the wall. Danielle had saved Josh from a gang of Reavers after his parents had disowned him and he'd inadvertently restored her powers as he healed the injuries she'd received defending him. She was grateful to have her powers and a purpose again and she'd signed the guardianship papers on behalf of the institute. Josh was often resentful of Danielle since she wasn't much older than he was, but she'd grown very protective of him in the short time they'd been together.

"Dani…I'm sorry…." Rahne choked out as the tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"How could you Rahne?!" Danielle screamed at her sobbing friend. "You know how immature he is! You know he's always trying to be a hero! How could you ask him to throw his life away like that?! She's not worth it! She's not even real!" She yelled. David was horrified by her cruel words and he was thankful that Laura was sound asleep and hadn't heard any of that. Danielle was his mentor so he knew about her past trauma and why she cared for Josh, but he was appalled by her now.

"Shut up Dani!" Rahne snarled as she involuntarily changed forms. "She cannae help th' way she was born! It's nae her fault! None of it was her fault! She ne'er had a chance!" She yelled. David was shocked, he'd never seen Rahne like this before; she was so upset she was shaking and her tears were soaking the fur on her cheeks. He began to understand just how deeply personal Laura's suffering was to Rahne and he was moved by her compassion.

"Ms. Moonstar…you're wrong about Laura." David said emphatically. "I know you're worried about Josh…we _**all**_ are, but it's not right to take your pain out on her, or Ms. Sinclair. They were trying to do the right thing, just like Josh." He said, trying to calm her down.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions David." Emma said as she and Ororo made their presence known. She'd come for proof that Laura had accompanied X-Force to sate her bloodlust, but with Ororo present, she couldn't interrogate her. Laura was under Ororo's protection and not even Scott could overrule her on matters concerning the students or the school. Xavier's health was deteriorating and he had been forced to step down from many of his duties at the institute, leaving Scott in charge of the X-Men and Ororo in charge of the institute and the students. He'd never intended to create a fighting team and he wanted to separate the X-Men from the Institute as much as possible so this new generation of students wouldn't grow up fighting like the New Mutants.

"Your sarcasm is unbecoming Ms. Frost." Ororo said emphatically. "Danielle, don't let your pain blind you to the suffering of others." She said as she put her arm around her.

"Laura **is** real and Rahne has always put the students before herself; she loves these children and _you_ of all people should understand how much pain she's in right now." Ororo told her as Danielle began to cry. The psychic bond she shared with Rahne wasn't nearly as strong as it had been, but she felt the depth of her suffering and sadness overwhelmed her.

"I'm sorry." Danielle choked out as Ororo held her close and gathered Rahne in her arms as well. Ororo had come to talk to Rahne; she was angry that X-Force had chosen to involve Laura in their plan, but she was going to withhold judgment until she had the facts. David had sent Sharon's report to her and from what she understood so far, X-Force was lucky to be alive. One look at Rahne was proof enough for anyone that they'd been put through the wringer. She looked utterly exhausted and her healing factor hadn't completely healed all the cuts and bruises she'd received yet. Her uniform was covered in dirt and blood and it still had pieces of Laura's burned skin stuck to it. Rahne was already an emotional wreck after the stress of her transformation and nearly losing Xian and Laura; but the situation with Josh and Danielle was too much and she just couldn't stop crying.

"Let it out Rahne." Ororo told her as she held her close and Rahne started to cry even harder. She and Jean had taken a special interest in Rahne when she'd arrived because of her tragic past and she'd often found herself comforting her when she was sad or needed advice. She hadn't wanted this kind of life for her, for any of them, but she understood Rahne's need to help others and why she continued to put herself in harms way.

"You'll feel better after a bath." Ororo said as she brushed the hair out of Rahne's face. "We can talk about what happened when Sam and the others get back."

"_**I**_ would rather not wait, in case Alex comes asking questions again…like the last time they caused trouble." Emma said in an icy tone. Their last raid on Trask Industries, several months earlier, had resulted in millions of dollars in damages and no concrete evidence that Project Nimrod was still active. X-Force hadn't left any traces and SHIELD thought it might be the work of Exodus and the Brotherhood, but Scott's brother Alex was suspicious. He had tired of living in his brother's shadow and he'd joined the Avengers along with Lorna after the war. He was convinced he and Lorna were only a token effort to appease the mutant community, but he wanted to build trust between the humans and the mutants. Alex certainly didn't approve of the sentinel program, but he'd come to the institute with a warning that if they were involved then they were risking the future of the school if they got caught.

"Th' sentinels happened." Rahne said tersely as she regained some composure. "Th' RIGHT had **Nimrod Sentinels**, guarding their lab." She said, letting it sink in. Emma and Ororo were both as stunned as Rahne had been when she'd seen them. It made no sense to sell or give sentinels to RIGHT and from what she'd sensed from Larry Trask during their last meeting, he was as frightened of Nimrod as they were. He had examined Nimrod's heavily damaged memory core after he was destroyed by the Avengers and he knew what awaited humanity if the project went any further.

Nimrod had come from the future, a timeline that existed before it destroyed Genosha and altered the past, sending the timeline into a tangent. Designed to be the ultimate hunter and killer of mutants, the machine had become self-aware and rejected its programming to protect human life in favor of artificial life. Nimrod and the sentinels had unleashed a holocaust on the earth, killing billions before the mutants of Genosha found a way to defeat them. With annihilation inevitable, Nimrod fled back through time with the remaining sentinels to destroy Genosha and prevent their defeat. However, the plan radically altered the timeline far beyond Nimrod's calculations and the irreconcilable changes it detected in the new timeline caused it to shut down and reboot, allowing SHIELD and the Avengers time to attack. Nimrod had faced the Avengers in the future and defeated them all except for Hulk and Thor who were both off world. Their presence in the past tipped the balance in favor of the Avengers since Nimrod was unable to adapt to the mystical properties of uru and it's time drive was damaged by the first blow from Mjolnir. Nimrod managed to overcome Thor, but the machine had its limits while the Hulk had none and he destroyed Nimrod after an apocalyptic battle in the burning ruins of Hammer Bay.

Nimrod's memory core was heavily damaged by the battle and very little information about future survived, but it seemed to confirm Professor Xavier's worst fears. The professor had been overly cautious after the X-Men had toppled the Genoshan government and Magneto had deserted them to rule the country. A mutant nation had put the world on edge and spurred Bolivar Trask to create the first sentinels. It was never Xavier's intention to create a mutant state; he didn't think mutants and normal humans should segregate themselves and Magneto's leadership exacerbated the fears of the humans. Xavier was trying to bring humanity together, but his actions, while noble, had only helped to drive them further apart.

The existence of Nimrod seemed to be proof that the X-Men had failed to avert a war with the humans and Xavier was genuinely frightened for the future of the mutant race. The Purge wiped out over three quarters of the earth's mutants in under eight hours and split the X-Men, with Professor Xavier urging caution and Cable urging action before someone else finished what Nimrod started. The New Mutants, devastated by the loss of Illyana and Danielle, had taken up Cable's cause and Sam continued to lead them against the enemies of the mutant race.

"Sam was right…" Ororo said after a moment's silence.

"You have news Dr. McCoy?" Emma asked as he joined them. She was eager to change the subject; after losing the Hellions, she'd seen the error of her ways and she'd taken up Xavier's cause. She'd urged caution as well in the hope of protecting the school and the students, but it seemed she'd been wrong about Larry Trask. Knowing she was wrong was bad enough, but having it thrown in her face by Rahne was too much. She hated Rahne and she didn't approve of her teaching the students. She felt she was too young and too damaged, not to mention her continued involvement with the outlaw X-Force set a bad example for the kids.

"Yes." He said as he knelt down beside Danielle, who was still crying. "Josh's condition is serious, but it's treatable." He told her as she dried her eyes. "We have several ideas for how to bring him out of his coma, but we'll know more once we've had time to observe him and get the test results." He said, trying to console her. Danielle was relieved by the news, but Josh was still in danger and she was afraid their plans might not work. Healers were rare and omega level mutants even more rare, they'd never encountered anyone like Josh before, so naturally she was nervous.

"Wha' about Shan?" Rahne asked despondently.

"Nemesis is fitting her with a cybernetic nerve interface now." He told her. "There was nothing else you could have done Rahne." He said emphatically. "She's alive because of what you did for her and she **will** walk again." He added, trying to make Rahne feel better. She'd done everything she could to save her leg and he was impressed by her skill, but there was just too much damage. Rahne had saved Xian's life, but in doing so she'd had to almost completely cut off circulation to her leg and the tissue was dying. There was nothing else she could have done under the circumstances or Xian would have bled to death and he hoped Rahne wouldn't continue to blame herself.

"The Shiar equipment can't regenerate her leg?" Emma asked.

"While human and Shiar physiologies are similar on a _very_ basic level, we're having a hard time adapting the machines to our bodies." Hank explained. "Right now, we're simply not able to regenerate an entire limb…we wouldn't have been able to save Laura if not for Josh." He said. "Nemesis and I should be able to adapt the technology to better suit our needs in the future…hopefully we can do more for her then." He said. They hadn't had the pods long and while they were a priority, it was an exceedingly complex task, working with alien technology.

"What of the little monster?" Emma asked.

"Monster?!" Rahne growled. "_**Ye**_ ha' th' gall tae call _her_ a monster after she saved those kids?!" She asked incredulously.

"Remember who you're speaking too Ms. Sinclair." Emma said sternly.

"I've nae forgotten who and wha' ye are _Ms. Frost._" Rahne said defiantly. "Ye think I dinnae know how ye've tortured tha' poor girl with visions of her dead mum?! If there's a monster here it's **ye**!" She snapped.

"You vile little mongrel!" Emma yelled. "I will not be lectured by an impertinent child who was raised in the gutter! You'll learn some respect or you'll be back on the street where you belong!" She sneered. Emma _had_ changed, but she still had a lot of rough edges and she often behaved like a bully, especially to those she felt were beneath her. Ororo had grown up poor herself and she was offended that Emma had mocked Rahne's humble beginnings. She was proud of the strong woman Rahne had become and she wasn't going to let Emma provoke her into a confrontation.

"That's enough class warfare Emma and Rahne isn't going anywhere." Ororo said sternly. "Rahne, you've done all you can for the others…you need to take some time for yourself." She said as Rahne regained her composure and her natural form.

"I may ha' been born in th' gutter Emma, but **I** never wallowed in th' filth." Rahne said as she left to change and bathe. Emma was furious at having _her_ past thrown back at her, but she couldn't deny it. She'd done terrible things as a member of the Hell Fire Club and her family was even more dysfunctional than Rahne's.

"Insolent little bitch." Emma fumed.

"Emma, a word with you…**in private**." Ororo said as she motioned for Emma to follow her. "I thought I made myself clear when I said that Laura is to be treated with dignity and kindness." She said as they stepped out into the hallway. "She's no more a monster than _your girls_ and as long as I'm headmistress, this is her home." She said firmly, meeting Emma's icy glare with her own.

"She's dangerous, but you're too blinded by emotion to see it." Emma said. "I've seen inside her mind, death and murder are all she knows, look how eager she was to join X-Force."

"You're the one who's blind. You violated her mind, but saw only what you _wanted_ to see." Ororo said in a disgusted tone. "She joined X-Force to save those children from being used as weapons like she was." She told her.

"You're jeopardizing everyone trying to save her." Emma said.

"_Your_ _girls_ are infinitely more dangerous than she is, but I'm trying to save them too." Ororo told her. "They were created to be weapons just like Laura…and just like Laura; they deserve our compassion, not our judgment." She said. "I won't give up on Laura, I won't give up on them…and I won't give up on you Emma." She said as she left to comfort Danielle, leaving Emma to consider what she'd said.

* * *

**The Lab**

"What's wrong with me Beast?" Danielle asked as she sat down beside Josh and wiped her eyes. Dr. McCoy was busy running every type of test imaginable on him and it broke her heart to see him lying there, half naked, hooked up to all those different machines. She had every right to be angry, but Rahne's words had struck a nerve and she was disgusted with herself for judging Laura so harshly. She was still angry with Rahne, but she regretted what she'd said to her and how she'd treated her. She thought she'd put her past behind her and moved on, but she'd hurt her best friend's feelings twice already and alienated most of her friends and teammates.

"You have post traumatic stress disorder." Hank said as he stopped and came to her side. He'd diagnosed all her teammates after the war and he was prepared for an argument. There was such a stigma associated with mental health and behavioral health issues, especially in the superhero community, that they all thought people would think they were weak or crazy or both. Rahne was the only one who'd accepted his diagnosis since she'd dealt with emotional problems most of her life and she'd helped convince the others to seek help.

"I'm not crazy…" She said quietly as she became emotional again. "I got over what happened…"

"You're _**not**_ crazy Danielle, you're normal." Hank said emphatically. "You can't just _"get over"_ being tortured and having your identity ripped away from you…not without help." He told her. "Your friends all went through this in one form or another after the war…most of them didn't want to accept it either, but they're better now that they've gotten help."

"But why is it happening like this now?" she asked.

"We all react to trauma differently…with Rahne, it was immediate and obvious, Sam and Tabitha took longer to manifest obvious symptoms and it was quite ugly when they did." He told her. "Theresa tried to self-medicate…just like Michael, but she had James to comfort her and he was fortunate enough not to suffer PTSD." He said. He'd examined Dr. Nemesis notes after his confrontation with Mike earlier and it was obvious from his neurological scans that he was suffering severe PTSD. He was provoked with Dr. Nemesis; he'd been so interested in finding out what Mike was that he hadn't discussed his health concerns with him.

"So what do I do? Go lie on a couch and talk about my feelings?" She asked.

"I can recommend several excellent therapists." Hank said, trying to ignore Danielle's sarcasm.

"What do they know about being de-powered?" She asked bitterly as she got up to leave. She didn't want to admit she couldn't deal with this on her own; she didn't want anyone to see how scared and broken she _really_ was. She needed get out and collect herself, but she ran right into Ororo, who was deeply concerned for her. She'd lost her powers to the Genengineer years earlier and eventually re-powered by Dr. McCoy, so she knew how lost and angry Danielle felt. It was obvious from the callous way she'd just treated Rahne and Laura that she was still suffering and Ororo would help if she'd let her.

"We need to talk." She said as Danielle reluctantly followed her. Ororo had been a role model for her as well and she felt like a disappointment to her after what she'd done. Danielle had thought getting her powers back would make everything better, but it hadn't; she still felt lost and completely out of place, even here at the institute. Rahne wasn't the needy little sister she had once been and despite Danielle's psychic bond to her, Tabitha seemed to understand her better than she ever had. Any hope she ever had of leading the team again was gone now that Theresa had overcome her alcoholism and _everyone_ respected Sam's leadership. She wondered why they'd even asked her to come back at all; she didn't agree with some of their methods and they already had a telepath. Unlike her, Mike was a _true_ telepath, he could rip thoughts out of their enemies' minds if he had too and he was immune to psychic attacks.

* * *

**The Garden**

"I know you've been through a lot Danielle…I know it better than anyone and I can help you overcome this, but you have to face the truth, you have to stop running away." Ororo said as they stood on the cliff looking out over the sparking waters of Break Stone Lake.

"I've never run from anything Ororo!" Danielle said angrily.

"You can lie to yourself Danielle, but you can't lie to me." Ororo said firmly. "Stryker took more than just your powers, he took your identity and he took your dignity." She said. "You were afraid Danielle…**truly** afraid for the first time in your life because you didn't know who you were. You think being a mutant defines you and when you lost that, you couldn't accept yourself. You couldn't stand to be around the others because they reminded you of what you'd lost so you ran away…you ran away and you broke your best friend's heart." Ororo said.

"You're angry about what Stryker did to you, you're ashamed you ran away and you feel guilty about what happened to Rahne and the others after you left." Ororo told her. "You've never dealt with any of it Danielle and all that anger, shame and guilt is tearing you apart inside." She said. "You're projecting your anger onto Michael, your shame onto Tabitha and your guilt has led you to become so self-absorbed that you don't seem to care how Rahne feels." She said. "It's time to stop running Danielle, it's time to face this head on and stop wallowing in self-pity before you hurt anyone else." Ororo said.

"You're right…about everything…" Danielle choked out as tears began to pour down her cheeks. "I'm so messed up…" She sobbed as Ororo held her close, trying to comfort her. This was hurting her more than Danielle, but she knew this was the only way to get through to her.

"I know how lost you are Danielle, but you're not alone." Ororo said as she held her.

"I don't want to talk about it…I don't want to remember it…he took everything from me, he tore me down to nothing…" Danielle cried.

"I know." Ororo said as her eyes filled with tears. "I know how badly you wanted to fight back, but couldn't...how he had all the control…how he could violate your body and there wasn't a damn thing you could do to stop him. I know how degrading and humiliating it is...how you can't get it out of your head...I know." Ororo said as she held Danielle close.

"I hate him." Danielle sobbed.

"I know how angry you are, but Stryker is dead…let your hate die with him." Ororo said as she continued to comfort her. "This isn't who you are Danielle…you have to come back to yourself." She said.

"I don't know who that is anymore…" Danielle admitted. "The team has a leader and a telepath, they don't need me…Rahne doesn't need me either…she's got Tabitha…"

"You need to respect the strong woman Rahne's become and stop projecting your wants onto her…it's not fair to put that burden on her after everything she went through in the war." Ororo said. "She loves you and she still wants you as a friend, but she loves Tabitha as well and you have to respect their relationship." She said firmly.

"I just…"

"You just want your old life back…you just want some comfort after the hell you've been through." Ororo said.

"Yeah…" Danielle sighed.

"Things can't go back to the way they were before Danielle, but that doesn't mean they can't be good again." Ororo told her. "You're a teacher now and you can build a new life for yourself helping these children and you can join the X-Men if that's where you feel led." She said as she held her close. She sat in the grass with Danielle for a long time, sharing her experiences and advice. She told Danielle what Rahne and the other members of X-Force had gone through during and after the war and tried to help her understand how badly they'd been hurt as well. Danielle understood and she was finally being honest with herself, but Ororo knew from her own experience that it would be a long and difficult journey for her.

* * *

**The Grindstone**

**Several Hours Later**

"They tore those guys apart…." Victor said as he sat in the coffee shop and watched the news coverage of X-Force's battle with RIGHT and the sentinels. SHIELD had sealed off the area and had already sent a team to Trask Industries, but their involvement with RIGHT was being reported by the media thanks to Cypher. Wrath had a nano-camera mounted in his helmet that uploaded to one of Cypher's servers and he'd already put together a damning video of sentinels aiding the RIGHT agents. He wished he could have shown the world the whole thing, but he couldn't risk showing any more for fear someone at SHIELD or in the superhero community would recognize his teammate's powers and they'd all be arrested as terrorists. Still, the short video and the plans for the Genengineering lab had people talking about the "terrorists" and the children they'd rescued.

The victims had all been thoroughly examined by Dr. McCoy and Dr. Nemesis; Mark had been healed by the Shiar medical equipment and Forge was hard at work on a prosthetic leg for Xian. Dr. Nemesis had successfully attached the cybernetic interface to her nervous system and she was recovering in one of the healing pods. Kitty, Jubilee and Sam's younger sister Paige had volunteered to look after the victims, especially the younger children, giving Tabitha a chance to recover. Kitty didn't really like Tabitha, but she was impressed by how good she was with the children.

The students had mixed emotions, they were happy that the victims had been rescued and they were grateful that X-Force had saved their lives. Hodge was planning to turn his captives into mind-controlled, living weapons using the twisted science of Dr. Moreau, the Genengineer. Then he'd _"allow"_ them to be _"rescued"_ so he could activate them and destroy the institute from within. Unfortunately, two of their classmates had been seriously injured and many were appalled at the savagery of the assault. Rahne was seen as one of the "cool teachers" at the institute, but once Cypher's video hit, _some_ students began to question her.

"I can't believe Ms. Sinclair did all that…." Megan said as she looked across the table at her lizard like classmate. She loved Rahne and she was proud that her mentor had saved those other kids, but she was still having a hard time accepting that she'd allowed Laura to accompany them; especially now that she'd **seen** what X-Force was capable of. She and Cessily were Laura's only friends and they'd been so upset that David, Victor, Noriko and Alani had taken them to town to try to get their minds off everything that had happened.

"Don't be too hard on her Meg…they did what they had to do…they were a mess when they came in." David said. "They were all beaten up, Warpath was shot…so was Wrath and he nearly had his arm ripped off." He told them.

"Is he alright?" Noriko asked. She knew he had a healing factor, but his injuries sounded really serious to her and she couldn't help but worry. She liked Mike, he had helped her when no one else cared and while he didn't share some of her more liberal views; she knew he respected her.

"They're all fine…the Shiar pods are great for healing those type of injuries." He told them. Noriko could tell David was holding something back from her, but she decided to ask him later. They'd just met, but she was already impressed by him, he was a genius and well-built for a bookworm. He was also more mature than most of the other students and he seemed genuinely concerned for his roommate Josh, even though they didn't get along at all.

"Why couldn't it save Laura?" Cessily asked.

"They weren't made for humans and there just wasn't enough time…Wrath was in that thing for over an hour and he's got a healing factor." He said. "Josh really has an incredible gift…it's a shame he let his ego get in the way…again." He sighed.

"Can you fix him?" Megan asked.

"Trust me, he's going to be ok…we're going to have the Stepfords transfer all Dr. McCoy's medical knowledge to him so he can heal himself…may take a little psychic prompting, but that shouldn't be a problem either." He said confidently.

"Everybody's gonna blame Laura for Josh." Cessily said despondently.

"No they won't." Alani said. "Laura saved those kids…Mark and Callie told us all about it when Ms. Pryde introduced them." She said, remembering how guilty she felt that she hadn't been more understanding of Laura. Almost everyone viewed Laura differently now and she'd even seen Sooraya praying for her before they'd left. Julian and Santo might not change their minds about her, but they wouldn't be so cruel to her if the others stood up to them.

"Why does everybody hate Laura?" Noriko asked.

"She's a clone…they say she's not real, that she's doesn't have a soul." Megan explained.

"She's **not** a clone." David said emphatically. "She was artificially conceived using a cloning process, but Dr. Kenney used her own DNA to combine with Wolverine's…Laura's just as _real_ as any of us." He said. He'd accessed Dr. McCoy's files earlier and read Dr. Kenney's notes that X-Force had recovered from the Facility and he'd learned the truth of Laura's origin.

"Some evil scientists created her to be a weapon…they made her kill people and the others think she's some kind of monster." Cessily said. "It's not true…she feels guilty about what she did…she has awful nightmares and I've heard her crying at night, but I don't know how to help her." She said as she became emotional and Megan put her arm around her.

"It's not her fault…she can't help how she was born." Noriko said indignantly. "What the hell?! That's like hating David for being black or Victor for being gay or any of us for being mutants." She said angrily. She'd never been more disgusted and ashamed than she was right then. That they would treat one of their own so badly because of what other people had done to her was utterly inexcusable. Mutants weren't any better than other people even though they claimed to be the most mistreated and Noriko was seriously offended.

"That's what Ms. Sinclair said." David told them. "She stood up to Ms. Moonstar and Ms. Frost for Laura…she told her she was real." He said. Cessily began to feel a little better; she knew Mike cared for Laura, but it was clear that Rahne cared for her as well and she was sure now that X-Force hadn't used her as a weapon. She was proud of Laura's selfless sacrifice to protect the innocent and she hoped Alani was right and the others would finally start to see her for who she really was.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**The Briefing Room**

"That doesn't excuse them for taking Laura." Scott said as he and Ororo sat watching the news reports on the battle and Trask Industries involvement with RIGHT. He didn't trust Larry Trask either, but he'd never dreamed he'd go so far as to aid terrorists like Hodge and now he felt like a fool.

"Laura and the Institute are my responsibility and I'll deal with the situation as I see fit." Ororo answered. "We should be more concerned with the fact that RIGHT was able to rebuild the Genengineer's lab without our knowledge and hide those children from Cerebro…and we should be most concerned about Trask's continued involvement with Nimrod." She said.

"There's worse out there than Nimrod." Sam said ominously as he and Theresa walked in and sat down. They both looked shaken and the others began to wonder what new threat they'd uncovered.

"What have you discovered?" Ororo asked.

"Bolivar Trask has got RIGHT kidnapping kids fer him." Theresa said. "Some type of human experimentation and a new type of sentinel…this stuff makes Dr. Moreau look like Dr. Phil." She told them.

"That's not in the files you stole from RIGHT." Scott said as he scrolled through the data Cypher and Boomer had stolen and uploaded to the institute's database. Cypher may have reformed, but he was still a wanted international criminal and his involvement with X-Force put the team in an even more precarious position in Scott's mind.

"Ah got that from Hodge himself." Sam said. Dr. Nemesis had connected Hodge's severed neural connections to his scanner and pulled the information from his twisted, evil mind. Sam was grateful that Nemesis was always willing to help X-Force; he didn't have time to get bogged down in an ethical debate with Dr. McCoy or the professor when children were being used as human guinea pigs.

"How?" Scott asked suspiciously.

"Don't worry about it." Sam said bluntly. "We'll take care of 'em just as soon as SHIELD clears out and we can get t' Larry." He told them. "If ya'll wanna throw us out fer what happened t' Laura…Ah don't blame ya, but stay out of our way till this is over."

"Look Sam, I've had it with all this cloak and dagger, black-ops bullshit!" Scott yelled. "We were looking for those kids too! You should have asked for our help and then you wouldn't have needed Laura!"

"We can't even eat breakfast together! How do ye expect yer people to work with us on a mission?!" Theresa exclaimed.

"Don't play Monday mornin' quarterback with me!" Sam snapped. "We had to go in today and I needed soldiers, not _super heroes_!" He told them. "Ah told ya'll six months ago that RIGHT was gonna be a problem, but ya'll blew me off…said "they don't have th' resources t' be a significant threat anymore" …we're set fer th' next **three years** off th' money we stole from 'em." He said sarcastically.

"We warned ye not to trust the government! We warned ye Trask was still working on Nimrod, but ye wouldn't listen and ye wouldn't help us!" Theresa said angrily.

"We can't go to war with the government!" Scott yelled. "That's goes against everything the institute stands for!"

"**We** just saved the institute!" Theresa shot back. "It wouldn't be standing at all if…."

"This fighting must end!" Ororo interrupted as she stared across the table at Scott, Sam and Theresa. "The Lesotho have a proverb, _**when grasshoppers fight, the crows rejoice**_. We are a house divided while our enemies are united and moving against us as we speak." She said. "These children Trask is holding captive are more important than who was right and instead of arguing, we should be planning to rescue them!"

"Ah've got a plan." Sam said. "Ya'll don't have t' get involved."

"They've aided the RIGHT in attacking the school, we _**are**_ involved." Ororo said emphatically. "Do you know where they're holding the children?" She asked after a moment.

"Hodge doesn't know…his goons just grab 'em and Trask's goons pick 'em up." Sam said.

"How did you find Callie and the others when we couldn't even locate them with Cerebro?" Scott asked. Callie's father, Giancarlo Betto, had known Xavier for years and even grown the Institute's hedge maze for him. When his daughter had gone missing, he and his wife had immediately contacted the professor for help finding her.

"Its amazing what ye can learn from a criminal." Theresa said sarcastically.

"Cypher's been watching 'em fer a while and he knew they were up to somethin' big, so we sent Mike in about a month ago to spy on 'em and plant some of Cypher's spyware in their system." Sam said. "Mike's good, but somethin' spooked Hodge and Trask sent him the Nimrod prototypes to kill us when we came fer th' kids…"

"Based on what we got from Hodge, this is all Bolivar's work, but Larry _must_ know something and I don't trust SHIELD to figure it all out in time to help those kids." Theresa explained.

"So you're sending Mike after him?" Scott asked. It was the only plan that really made sense; Trask Industries was protected by mutant detectors and sentinels; Mike was the only one who could get at Larry. Despite the fact that Trask Industries had been caught red-handed aiding genocidal terrorists, going after Larry Trask was still posed a danger to the future of the institute if X-Force was caught. Still, there was no option now that Bolivar had kidnapped those children and Scott knew they had to move fast before he had a chance to disappear. Ororo had always been one of Xavier's most loyal and dedicated students, but since Genosha she'd also advocated a more proactive role for the X-Men. She didn't agree with the more extreme methods X-Force employed, but it was clear that a compromise was needed and it was clear they should have listened to her.

"That's why he's here." Theresa said.

"If ya'll come with us, yer're playin' by our rules…this is _our_ mission and Ah'm not sharin' command." Sam said. "I've already called in Cable and his X-Force fer backup, but I can make room fer ya'll too." He explained. Sam didn't think the X-Men would ever accept them again and he didn't think this joint mission would change that, but he was determined to bring those kids home safe. Scott didn't look at all pleased about taking orders from Sam, but X-Force had fought the Nimrod sentinels and they had more experience dealing with Trask Industries security measures.

"All right Sam…just don't get in over your head again." Scott said, deciding those children were more important than a bruised ego. "We need to know what we're up against…do we know if these new sentinels are operational yet?"

"No…they're still in development" Sam said. "That's what th' kids are fer…he's developing nanomorphic molecular tissue and mind control nanites…he's turnin' th' kids into sentinels…."

"Dear God…how is that even possible?" Scott asked.

"Cypher, Mike and Forge think it has to be some kind of future tech he got from Nimrod's memory core." Theresa told them. "Hodge is insane and Bolivar doesn't really trust him…but he needed his help to deal with us…and with ye."

"**You** get wiped out on your mission by the sentinels, then **we** get killed in our sleep by the kids after we _save_ them." Scott grumbled as the plan became clear to him. Judging by the information Cypher and Tabitha had stolen; Hodge had further refined Dr. Moreau's twisted science, rendering the genetic changes almost undetectable. Once the kids _"programming"_ was activated, they would have shutdown the institutes defense systems and attacked from within while RIGHT swarmed in and slaughtered everyone. Trask would then be free to pursue whatever horrible plan he'd concocted while RIGHT took the heat for the destruction of the institute.

"Then why is Trask engaged in these ungodly experiments if the Genengineer's method is so precise and effective?" Ororo asked.

"Hodge and RIGHT were only a means to an end." Sam said. "Besides, it only works on mutants, but Trask can theoretically turn anybody into a sentinel."

"They'd be unrecognizable and undetectable; they could be anyone, anywhere…and eventually they'd be enough of them to exterminate what's left of us." Theresa explained. Trask was refining the process by experimenting on young mutants, but once he'd perfected the procedure he'd move on to baseline humans. Trask Industries operated several clinics specializing in cybernetic surgery and Bolivar could use them to build an army of sentinels from his unsuspecting patients.

"This is madness." Ororo said in disgust.

"No, this is Nimrod's plan." Sam told her. "This is th' first step toward reestablishing it's timeline…these things aren't just meant for us, they're meant for th' war against th' humans."

"Nimrod was destroyed…it's memory core was smashed." Scott said.

"Was it?" Sam asked. "Ya'll saw what they wanted ya t' see…just like those prototypes they made such a big deal about dismantling."

"You've made your point." Scott said bluntly. "We've got a mission to plan. Now, what can you tell us about the prototype sentinels?" he asked.

"This is everything Mike saw out there." Sam said as uploaded the files to the main computer for them.

* * *

**Meanwhile at Harry's Hideaway**

Mike sighed in disgust as he leaned against the bar and took another drink. He still felt terrible about Laura and Xian and he hated killing people, even evil men who tortured children. Now that the adrenaline and anger had worn off, he felt guilty and he had "the shakes" again. This vodka was so strong it was putting a strain on his healing factor, but it was just what he needed to take the edge off and relieve the nervous tremor.

"Take it easy pal…that stuffs practically gasoline." Harry said as he watched him from the other end of the bar. Mike turned and gave him a look that could have burned adamantium to ashes. He hadn't come to the bar for conversation and he didn't want or need Harry's advice on anything.

"I paid fer this horse piss, not yer advice." He said coldly.

"Right…" Harry muttered as he went back to cleaning the bar. Mike obviously wasn't normal if he could drink 160 proof vodka straight like that and Harry assumed he must be one of Logan's teammates from the X-Men. He knew better than to press the issue, he'd seen that look too many times before and he knew Mike had been into something _really_ bad.

'_Animal.'_ Mike thought as he put the bottle down and looked at the hand he'd put right through that RIGHT agents chest. It wasn't shaking anymore, but he didn't feel any better. He was disgusted with himself for sitting in a bar drowning his sorrows like some damn cliché when those kids were crying for their sister and Rahne was still so upset. He should be with her right now instead of getting drunk, but he felt like a monster and he needed to be alone for a while.

* * *

**Up the Street at The Grindstone**

"You didn't have to wait for me." Noriko said as she joined David outside on the sidewalk. She'd been talking to Luna Depaula for a while, but he'd waited on her. Noriko was grateful for Tabitha and Rahne's generosity, but wearing other people's clothes made her a little self-conscious, so she'd asked Luna, the owner of the coffee shop, for a job. The fact that Noriko was obviously a mutant didn't bother Luna and after talking to her, she'd told her to start tomorrow. It was going to be hard for her to balance work, school and training, but she wanted to be able to support herself.

"I know you can take care of yourself Nori, but it's not safe…the Reavers have gotten brave." He told her as they headed further into town to catch up with the others. Noriko scowled, she knew all about the Reavers from her time on the streets and she hated them with a passion. They were mostly just snot-nosed punks, but they could be dangerous in groups and some of them had cybernetic augmentations.

"I hate Reavers." She told him. She'd wanted to believe she was safe here, that they'd never dare to come so close to the institute, but deep down she knew better. They hurried to catch up to the others, everyone but David was obviously a mutant and they'd make easy targets. Alani's body was covered in bright red tattoo-like markings, Megan had pink hair and wings, Cessily was made of living metal, Victor looked like a lizard and she had neon blue hair and gold eyes.

"They attacked you?" He asked. He knew Noriko must have had an awful time living on the streets with her powers out of control and he really felt bad for her. He didn't understand how her parents could disown her and he found it ironic that Mike, who had every right to hate mutants after the war, cared more about her than they did.

"I don't want to talk about it." Noriko told him as they rejoined the others. "What are you not telling me about Mike?" She asked, changing the subject.

"I **can't** talk about it Nori…" He said. "I'm sorry; I know you care about him, but I can't talk about what happens in the medical bay."

"He blew up again didn't he?" She asked.

"Yeah." David admitted, since Noriko seemed to know already. "Dr. Reyes had to calm him down…apparently they know each other from the war." He said. Mike wasn't in any mood to be examined by Dr. McCoy after he woke up and saw Laura and Xian in the pods beside him and he'd been really ugly about it.

"Was he messed up about Laura?" Noriko asked. She wanted to believe Mike was as good and kind as she thought he was, but his temper made her wonder.

"Yeah, but it's more than that." David said as Noriko stopped and looked across the street at Mike's car parked at Harry's Hideaway. She was clearly disappointed in him and David knew how she felt; he looked up to Danielle, but he was disgusted by her behavior earlier. Still, they'd both been through hell and he knew he and Noriko shouldn't expect them to be perfect.

"Oh _**snap**_…" Alani said as they all heard the loud pipes of Logan's motorcycle as he came flying around the curve at the end of the road and headed straight for Harry's Hideaway, and Mike. He'd been in New York on personal business, but the news of Laura's injury had sent him rushing back to the institute. He was beyond angry; he had Laura in school with the other kids trying to undo the damage and he'd forbidden her from going on missions. He couldn't believe Sam had let her go, much less Mike; he knew what Laura had gone through and he should have stopped her. He saw Mike's car and he skidded to a stop in the parking lot, jumped off and went in after him.

"What?!" Noriko asked. She hadn't met Logan yet and didn't know about his relationship with Laura.

"_That's_ Wolverine…that's Laura's dad." David explained as he exchanged worried looks with the others.

"Oh shit." Noriko said as she watched him go in.

"This should be good." Julian said as he, Santo and Brian walked up and joined them. They were pretty pissed off about what had happened to Josh and they'd come to town to blow off some steam. Julian was still humiliated by what had happened with Noriko the day before and seeing Mike get beaten up was too good to miss.

"Yeah, I got twenty bucks says Wrath doesn't last a minute with Wolverine." Santo said derisively as Brian and Julian laughed. David and Victor both gave them disgusted looks, Julian was a spoiled rich brat, Santo was thoughtless and Brian was just a jerk.

"I have to stop this." Noriko said as she started after them.

"Give 'em a chance to work it out." Victor said as he stopped her.

"No, I think she's right…this is going to end badly." David said.

**To Be Continued…**


	5. X-Force 5: Dreams End Part II

**Authors Note:** To the few who have been following this story, thank you. It's been a long time since I've updated and unfortunately this is mostly just updates to current chapters. I made several changes to **Issue #1** to introduce Ororo as headmistress, illustrate the differences between the X-Men and X-Force, and explain some of Danielle's motivations. **Issue #2** reveals some details about Mike's powers, reveals the truth about why Apocalypse started the war and it also reveals the fact that the world knows mutants are unnatural, created by genetic tampering by the Celestials. **Issue #3** gives an expanded version of Danielle's fight with her teammates and gives a better explanation for why she doesn't like Mike. Hopefully these changes make for a more engaging plot.

Several additions have been made to the original **Issue #4** and it has now been split into two parts. **Issue #5** is the 2nd half, but a new scene with Terry and James has been added here. It deals with Terry's experiences during the war and sets the stage for issue #6. Also, if you missed it, there is a new scene in **Issue #4** where Ororo confronts Danielle about the way she has been treating Rahne and the others...time for tough love. Finally, Issue #6 is nearly complete. I only have a few pages, left, but it's a very important scene and I'm not going to rush through it like I did with #4 only to hate it and have to come back and add to it again. Work is a real nightmare right now and I have a lot of demands on my time, so I can't say exactly when it will be finished, but I hope you'll decide it was worth the wait.

So, thank you again for reading, I hope you enjoy the 2 new scenes in Issues 4+5 and the updates to 1-3.

**PS:** It wouldn't kill you guys to drop a comment or two with some thoughts on how I can improve as a writer. :-)

* * *

**Back to the Story**

The X-Force, a special operations unit formed by Charles Xavier's former students, the New Mutants, stand ready to strike at the enemies of the mutant race. Their aggressive approach to the conflict between humanity and the mutants has put them at odds with their mentor and the X-Men. However, with the mutant nation of Genosha reduced to ashes and anti-mutant hysteria raging after the war with Apocalypse, the X-Force may be the best hope for the survival of the mutants.

**Previously**

Laura was seriously injured saving RIGHT's hostages from the sentinels and Sam was desperate to save her. He was out of options and tried to make a deal with X-Force nemesis Spiral to teleport her to the institute. Mike was consumed by guilt and he interfered in Sam's plan, placing himself in Spiral's debt. Spiral fulfilled her part of the bargain and teleported both Laura and Xian back to the institute for badly needed medical attention.

Laura was saved by the omega level healer, Josh Foley, but he passed out from over-exerting his powers. With Josh unconscious, Dr. Reyes was left with no alternative but to amputate Xian's injured leg and fit her for a prosthesis. Josh's injury sent Danielle over the edge and she lashed out at Rahne, who was already an emotional wreck after the battle. Ororo finally confronted Danielle about her recent behavior and forced her to admit she needed help.

The X-Men were forced to concede that X-Force had been right all along about Trask Industries, and the NIMROD project. Sam and Theresa discovered a frightening new plot, but it remains to be seen if they can work together with Scott and Ororo to stop the new threat. Meanwhile, some of the students went to The Grindstone to talk things over while Mike made a poor decision and went to Harry's Hideaway to drown his guilt in vodka. News of Laura's injury sent Logan racing home from New York City, setting the stage for a dangerous confrontation with Mike.

This Issue:

X-Force: Cannonball, Boomer, Siryn, Warpath, Wrath, Wolfsbane, Mirage

X-Men: Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Shadow Cat

Students: X-23, Mercury, Prodigy, Wolf Cub, DJ, Dryad, Anole, Rockslide, Hellion, Surge, Pixie, Tag, Loa

Faculty Members: Sharon Friedlander

* * *

**X-Force # 5: Dreams End – Part II**

**Harry's Hideaway**

"Mike!" Logan yelled as he burst through the door and confronted him.

"Damn it…." Mike muttered. He took another drink and got up to talk to him, but Logan was in no mood to talk.

"Logan, listen I…"

"You son of a bitch!" Logan yelled as he walked up and slammed his fist into Mike's face so hard he almost knocked him down. "You know what she's been through, but you used her just like those bastards that made her!" He yelled as Mike recovered and glared at him. "I brought her here to have a life and I'm not gonna let you and X-Force take it away from her!" He roared as he tried to hit him again. Mike grabbed his fist and hurled him through the side of the bar, smashing it.

"Where th' hell do you get off actin' like father of th' year?!" Mike yelled as he spat out blood. Logan had busted his lip, but comparing him to Dr. Rice and the evil scientists at **The Facility** made him so angry he just didn't care anymore. "Been nice if you were so damn concerned about her that night she ran off after she stabbed me!" He yelled. "Where were ya then?! What was more important than Laura?!" He screamed.

"Damn you…" Logan growled as he got his feet and popped his claws. He was so angry he didn't care either and he flew at Mike like a wild animal. Mike was drunk, angry and he wasn't holding back. He was stronger, faster and every bit as ferocious in battle, but despite his physical advantage, he was in real trouble. Adamantium was extremely toxic to him; it disrupted his cell regeneration and interfered with his telepathy.

"Not again!" Harry moaned as he scrambled out of their way. Logan had been fighting for over a century and his vast experience had given him the edge over physically superior foes before, but Mike seemed to have been born to fight and his skill was extraordinary. Logan slashed at Mike ripping the pool table and chairs to pieces, but Mike slammed his fist into his face and began beating him mercilessly. Logan's adamantium skeleton and healing factor saved him from Mike's vicious blows and he struck back, slicing him in the side with his claws. Logan came after him again as he roared in pain, but Mike whirled and kicked him across the room into the wall. He had gotten a lot more powerful than the last time they'd fought and this time neither of them was holding anything back. Logan got to his feet and managed to roll out of the way just in time as Mike charged and slammed his boot through the wall where he'd been standing. They flew at each other again and tore the place apart in a vicious brawl. Mike was giving Logan a beating, but he was drunk and he couldn't evade all of his attacks in such a confined area.

Mike yelled in pain as Logan slashed him in the upper arm and slammed him face first through a table. The pain from the wounds was the worst he'd ever felt and the skin around the gashes was already beginning to fester. He needed to knock Logan out quickly before he lost too much blood or got too sick from the adamantium poisoning. Mike barley avoided being impaled by Logan's claws as he whirled and managed to sweep his legs out from under him. Mike scrambled away and dragged himself to his feet as Logan roared in rage and came at him again. Mike was ready for him and slammed a kick into the side of his face, knocking him into the wall again. The force of the blow nearly decapitated him, but he was almost impossible to stop and Mike didn't let up his assault for a second. His fist was smashing into Logan's skull like a jack hammer and it looked like he might _finally_ have the upper hand on him.

"Laura **asked** to come with us!" He yelled as he buried his fist in his gut. "She doesn't know how to be normal! Can't you see she's miserable?!" Mike yelled as he snatched Logan up and hurled him through the window, out into the parking lot. When he'd been in Laura's mind he'd felt her pain and her guilt; she felt like a monster and she hated her life. Saving those kids had given her a purpose and she wanted to live again.

"What the hell?!" Santo exclaimed as Logan landed in the parking lot amidst a shower of glass and debris.

"Shit just got real." Brian said as Logan barely managed to roll out of the way as Mike leaped through the broken window and slammed his boot into the ground where Logan had been. Logan kicked Mike in the face as hard as he could, but Mike shrugged it off and nailed him with a vicious uppercut. The tremendous force of the blow knocked him into the air, but Mike leaped, flipped and kicked him, sending him headfirst into the asphalt.

"Stay down!" He yelled as he snatched Logan up and punched him in the face as hard as he could. He was beginning to sober up from the pain and he knew what he was doing was wrong, but he kept hitting him. Logan was a bloody mess, but like Mike, he was just too angry and hurt to stop fighting and he slashed Mike across the chest, spraying blood everywhere. Mike staggered backward and dropped to one knee as the pain and nausea overwhelmed him. The toxic reaction to the adamantium and the loss of blood was taking its toll and he'd nearly reached his limit. Logan fell to his knees as well, Mike had absolutely beaten the hell out of him and he was barely conscious.

"_You_ stay down…." Logan groaned as they both staggered to their feet and glared at each other. Logan was immune to fatigue toxins building up in his muscles and Mike was trained to ignore pain and fight past his limits, but the fight couldn't go on forever. Logan was healing, but Mike wasn't and he was quickly losing blood and the advantage despite his superior strength and agility.

"Go to hell." Mike growled.

Noriko couldn't stand to see anymore, she thought Mike and Logan were going to kill each other and she wasn't just going to stand and watch. This fight was pointless; it certainly wasn't helping Laura and she was going to put an end to it. She could channel the electrical energy she absorbed into devastating blasts or burst of superhuman speed and time seemed to slow down for her as she raced across the street into the battle.

"Stop it!" Noriko screamed as she ran in and slammed her fist into Mike's jaw. She was only 5'4" and 110lbs but she packed an incredible punch at that speed and she sent Mike crashing to the ground. She whirled before Logan had time to react and blasted him across the parking lot.

"Help her before they kill each other!" Julian ordered as he and the others went to help her separate them. He'd wanted to see Mike get beaten up and humiliated, but he never dreamed he'd be able to manhandle Logan like that, or that either of them would go so far. He'd just gotten a healthy dose of reality and he didn't think it was funny anymore. Fortunately, Noriko had gotten their attention and they weren't about to endanger the kids with their pointless fight.

"Put me down Keller! It's over!" Logan snapped as Julian held him in the air with his telekinesis.

"It's ok Nori, its over." Mike said as she knelt down beside him to keep him from getting up. He could see how disappointed in him she was and he was really ashamed of everything he'd done. Logan had attacked him, but he shouldn't have let his emotions get out of control like that; he could have killed him. He knew Noriko, Megan and Cessily must think he was some kind of monster now and they were right.

"What's wrong with you?!" She yelled. "You two act like animals! Is **this** who you really are?!" She asked as a tear ran down her cheek.

"No…" Mike said as he sat up and looked into her eyes.

"I want to believe that." She said. "But you're scaring me…you need help." She told him. He felt like he'd been hit with a sledgehammer; he cared about Noriko and wanted to help her, but he could see the fear in her eyes now. He'd known he wasn't himself for a while, but he hadn't been able to admit how far he'd fallen until now. He was probably the fist person Noriko had trusted since she was thirteen, but now he'd let her down too.

"I'm sorry." He said, trying to control his emotions. "I didn't mean to hurt you…you trusted me and I…" He couldn't finish, he was suddenly wracked with pain and nausea from his injuries.

"Mike?! Oh…Oh crap! David!" She yelled as Mike turned away and vomited. He was starting to turn really pale and it was obvious he was in terrible pain. His body was already stressed from drinking too much and he couldn't purge the toxins from his blood fast enough anymore.

"I'll be alright…" He grunted.

"No, you won't…this looks like some kind of blood poisoning." David said as he ripped open Mike's shirt and examined the wounds. It was obvious to him he was having some type of serious reaction to the adamantium covering Logan's claws and it looked like it was impeding his cell regeneration. "We need to get him back to the Medical Bay! Help me get him in the car!" He yelled as Logan helped Mike into the passenger seat of his car and Noriko got in with him.

"Can you drive a stick kid?" Logan asked as David jumped into the driver's seat.

"I can today!" He said as he slammed the door and gunned the engine, roaring out of the parking lot toward the mansion. He'd never driven anything as powerful as the Boss, but his power was to copy the skills and knowledge of others so he had no problem driving it even with the supercharged engine.

"That's going on YouTube." Santo snickered as Logan watched them drive away. Logan was pretty ashamed of himself as well for fighting in front of the kids. Nobody won that fight; it was pointless and he wasn't in the mood for Santo's stupid comments. "Um…I'll be leaving now…." Santo said sheepishly as Logan turned and glared at him.

"Go home, **now**." He said sternly as they left and he went to settle things with Harry. That fight should never have happened and it shouldn't have taken a sixteen year old girl to make them both see reason. They hadn't liked each other for years, but there had always been a grudging respect between the two of them. However, they both cared so deeply about Laura that they had acted on raw emotion and given in to their baser instincts. They both regretted what they done and they regretted what they'd said to each other even more.

* * *

**Meanwhile in the Briefing Room**

"You know; if Cypher can't hack the Mark I's A.I. then this going to be a suicide mission…." Scott said. Sam's plan looked good on paper, but it was the execution that concerned him and after their near miss earlier in the day, he was less confident in Sam's leadership. They still didn't know where they were going or exactly what they would face when they got there.

"Cypher's never let us down before, if he says he can do it, then he can do it." Sam said in an irritated tone. He was tired of Scott questioning his plan and his team; Cypher might be a criminal, but so was Emma and Sam was tired of the double standard.

"Ok Sam…I trust you." Scott told him

"Ah appreciate that." Sam said. "Ah know after what happened with Laura and Josh that has to be hard for both of ya." He said. "There's nothing Ah can say that will make this right." He said, turning to Ororo. "Ah took one of your students and now another ones in a coma because of it…Ah'd take Josh's place if Ah could, but all Ah can do is take responsibility." He told her. "Ah don't have th' right t' ask ya this, but if yer're lookin' fer someone t' blame, then blame me, don't fire Rahne or hold th' others responsible…it was ma decision."

"Is that your idea of an apology?" Scott asked.

"Ah'm not about t' apologize to _**you**_ fer anything Ah've done." Sam said emphatically. "Ah was tryin' t' give Laura a purpose again." He said.

"By using her as a weapon?!" Scott asked incredulously.

"Ah didn't use Laura as a weapon!" Sam shot back. "Ah let her make a decision about what she wants to do with her life!" He said. "Ya'll have never given her a choice in anything! Ya'll just order her around like th' Facility did!"

"We're trying to rehabilitate her." Ororo explained, although she could see that Sam might have a point.

"She's miserable, she doesn't have a reason to live anymore and it's killin' her." Sam said.

"She wants to help people to try to make up for all the terrible things she was forced to do." Theresa said. "Ye won't let her help ye so she came to us." Theresa explained.

"She couldn't stand th' thought of those kids being tortured th' way she was and Ah had too much respect fer her right then t' tell her no." Sam said. "She's not a monster…she didn't come with us t' kill people, she came to save those kids." He said.

"I know why she asked to accompany you and I respect her decision. I know your heart was in the right place Sam, I know you want to help Laura, but the fact remains you took her without my permission." Ororo said sternly. "We're not training the next generation of soldiers; we're staying true to the professor's dream."

"Don't lecture me about th' dream, we've bled and we've died fer th' dream!" Sam said angrily. "We're done dreamin'! We're awake and we're fightin' fer our right t' exist! We're fightin' so these kids don't have t' grow up th' way we did!" He yelled as years of anger and frustration boiled over. "This place would be ashes right now if it wasn't fer us, so A'hm through givin' a damn if our methods offend ya'll!" He yelled. "We're not always proud of what we do, but we realized a long time ago that th' world ain't black and white and sometimes we have t' get dirty t' protect our freedom and give these kids th' life they deserve." He said as he stared across the table at both of them with grim resolve.

"Sam, we have to be better than they are." Scott said.

"We are." Sam said coldly. "We protect this place and defend th' innocent…we don't play by _**their**_ rules, but we're not murderers and we're not terrorists." He said.

"Don't act like ye're so much better than we are." Theresa said angrily. "Ye've killed when ye had to, ye've overthrown governments, ye've even teamed with th' bloody Brotherhood when it suited ye." She reminded them.

"Things are different now." Ororo reminded her.

"Yeah, th' worlds gone _completely_ to hell now because of th' war." Theresa said. "We get it Ro…we know how bad things are out there. People are scared of mutants and they're scared of the school." She said. "So ye want to be superheroes again and show the world we're not monsters. Great, but while ye're flying around in yer fancy costumes, trying to outscore th' Avengers…th' Reavers are nailing kids to crosses, a psychopath was planning to burn the school and Trask is carving kids up like guinea pigs." She told them. "Like I said, th' worlds gone completely to hell and it's time ye let us do wha' has to be done to keep this place safe…wha' **ye** can't be seen doing."

"Do you realize what you're asking?" Ororo asked her.

"Yes…and I wish there was another way." Theresa replied.

"So do Ah, but it's not fair to those kids not to do everything in our power to protect them." Sam said. "Schools shouldn't have graveyards…how many more are gonna end up there with Illyana?!" He asked angrily. "If ya'll wanna die fer th' professor's principles then that's yer choice, but don't force these kids to pay fer yer idealism." He told them.

"Ye could have stopped Pierce before he tortured Rahne and Roberto, ye could have stopped Stryker before he took Dani's powers and ye could have stopped Hodge before he got to these kids." Theresa told them. "We're not willing to wait fer them to come after us…fer these kids to die before we act…we're taking them down first." She said coldly. Their words cut to the bone and both Ororo and Scott felt a deep sense of regret for all that the New Mutants had endured. Everything they'd said was true and while she couldn't agree with everything they'd done; she knew they were right about the children and something had to be done. Ororo sighed as she leaned back in her chair and looked across the table at Scott; he didn't seem nearly as confident in his position as he had earlier. They both felt dirty, like they were betraying the professor, but Sam and Theresa lived with this feeling everyday and with the revelation of the sentinels, it was time for action.

"Take Scott's team with you and end this madness." Ororo said, breaking the long silence. "I don't know that we can find a way to coexist Sam, but I'm willing to try…well talk again after the mission." She said.

"That's all I can ask fer." Sam said.

"Is your team going to be ready?" Scott asked.

"Ma team can handle anything." Sam said. "You need to be concerned with yer own people…I don't want you bringin' some ego-maniac like M whose gonna cause trouble, we need th' best on this one."

"I can handle M, you just keep Mike in line…he doesn't seem to play well with others." Scott told him.

"Maybe if ya'll didn't treat him like…."

"Logan and Mike just got in a fight!" Kitty interrupted as she phased through the door. They all headed out to deal with this latest crisis and Ororo prayed that this wasn't a harbinger of things to come between the two teams. Scott and Sam went to deal with the situation at Harry's while Ororo and Theresa checked on Mike and talked with Noriko and David.

* * *

**Medical**** Bay**

**Intensive Care Unit**

**-Two Hour Later-**

"Ugh…damn it…." Mike groaned as waked and found himself inside one of the Shiar healing pods again. His body still ached even though the machine had completely healed his wounds and purged his blood. He was completely sober now and thoroughly disgusted with himself for the way he'd acted; he didn't know what he was going to say to Sam or Rahne and he wouldn't blame Sam if he fired him.

"You healed a lot quicker than we thought you would." Sharon said as she pulled back one of the curtains surrounding his pod. There was a sudden hiss of air as the pod opened and he sat up, still a little groggy.

"I brought you some clothes." She said as she handed him some hospital scrubs to wear. The pod's dermal regenerators wouldn't work if a patient was clothed, so everyone had to go in naked.

Sharon was glad to see that his wounds hadn't left scars this time thanks to the Shiar equipment supercharging his accelerated healing. He had enough already from years of fighting, being tortured by Mikhail and being attacked by Laura. He healed more quickly than other baselines, but he didn't have a healing factor like Logan, Laura and Rahne. It normally took him days to heal wounds and he usually needed several weeks to recover after serious injuries.

"Thanks." Mike said as he got up and dressed while Sharon examined the data from the pod. The Shiar equipment had thoroughly analyzed Mike's DNA, but hadn't found anything out of the ordinary either. Sharon and the others were baffled, but the tests proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that Mike was a baseline human. Any human could develop telepathy or telekinesis, but his strength, agility, durability and regenerative powers remained a mystery. She wondered if his powers might not have a supernatural origin like hers, but Dr. Nemesis had dismissed the idea and Hank was skeptical as well. Dr. Nemesis was convinced that his theory was correct and that Mike was an advancement in human evolution. Hank had another theory entirely; he was convinced Mike's powers had a natural origin as well, but now he wondered about the future of the mutant race if he was right.

"How are you feeling?" Sharon asked as she finished the download.

"Like an asshole." Mike told her.

"Good." Sharon replied. "Rahne and Noriko have been worried about you…everyone has, especially those kids you saved." She said.

"Where are they?" He asked.

"Outside, but Dr. McCoy wants to run some more tests on you." She said.

"He can wait." Mike said as he pushed the other curtain aside and locked eyes with Logan. "How is she?" He asked as he walked over and looked into the pod at Laura. Logan had been by her side since he'd returned and she was still sleeping peacefully as she recovered.

"Beast says she's fine, she just needs to rest." Logan said as he got up. "Look Mike, I still want to rip your heart out for letting her go, but thanks for making that deal with Spiral to save her." He told him.

"I didn't want her to go either Logan, but it was important to her." He said quietly. "In spite of everything they did to make her a monster, she's not…and she proved it today."

"Yeah…she did." He said as he looked down at Laura. "Do you need help with Spiral?" He asked after a moment.

"It's my fight." Mike said bluntly. "Whatever happens it's worth it…I'll go to hell before I fail Laura again." He told him.

"We all failed her…everyone in her whole life except that kid you told me about." Logan said.

"Nix is special." Mike said.

"Did you mean what you said about Laura being miserable this whole time?" Logan asked.

"I meant _everything_ I said." Mike told him. "And I regret _some_ of it." He added.

"_Some?_" Logan asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, _some_." Mike said angrily. "Laura **is** miserable, she feels guilty, she hates her life and she thinks she's a monster." He said. "I wish she could be like all th' other kids here, but she just doesn't know how. Savin' those kids made her want to live again; it gave her hope fer once in her life." He explained.

"What do you know?!" Logan snapped.

"I went in her mind to t' try t' turn off her pain receptors…I couldn't break through all her defenses, but I could feel everything she was feelin'." Holmes told him. He turned away for a moment and took a deep breath as he tried to get control of his emotions again. As strong and hard as Mike was he felt like he was going to throw up thinking about it and nothing could dull the pain and sorrow he felt for Laura. Dr. Rice tortured Laura to make her attack when exposed to "trigger scent," he'd tortured her to trigger her mutation early and he hadn't sedated her when he'd removed her claws to bond them with adamantium. The man was pure evil and there was no end to his cruelty; he'd made her kill her puppy when she was seven, he'd taken away her identity, her dignity, her innocence, her hope and finally he'd taken away her mother.

"Mike?"

"Weapon X was nothing compared to what they did to her…that bastard Rice tortured her worse than Mikhail tortured me!" He said angrily. "I've seen evil Logan…I've seen th' devil himself, but this is so sick it hurts to think about it, I feel like I'm suffocating." He said. "We were Avengers damn it! We were supposed to stop shit like this…why didn't we know?! Why didn't we stop it?!" He asked angrily. "We let those godless, amoral sons of bitches destroy th' life of an innocent child!" Mike said with contempt.

"Yeah…we did…and I don't want her involved in this…I want her to have a real life." Logan said as Mike looked into the pod at Laura.

"Give her a choice; fer th' first time in her life, giver her a choice." Mike said. "Give her th' chance to be th' hero she's wants t' be…let her fight with th' X-Men." He said. Laura wanted to make amends for her past by using her life to help others and she finally had a future to look forward too.

"She doesn't know what she wants!" Logan snapped.

"She wants to help people!" Mike said. "Why can't you respect her decision?!"

"Don't tell me how to be her father!" Logan said angrily as he turned to Mike.

"Then **be** her father." Mike said as he stood his ground and they glared at each other again. Logan was really angry, but deep down he knew Mike was right; he wasn't a good father to Laura. She was jealous and hurt that he spent more time with Jubilee than he did with her and Remy had admonished him for it.

"I don't know what's going on between you two, but you both need to grow up and let it go." Sharon said. "Your love for Laura should bring you together, not tear you apart…she has enough pain and misery in her life already without you two fighting over her like this." She told them.

"Laura is _**my**_ responsibility." Logan said gruffly.

"This isn't about **you**." Mike said in a disgusted tone as he turned and walked away.

* * *

**Main**** Medical Bay**

"Thank ye fer taking care of him." Rahne said as Noriko finished telling her what had happened. She was hurt that he hadn't come to check on her and she was disappointed in his behavior even though Logan had started the fight. Noriko didn't like seeing Rahne so upset and she was angry at Mike for making her worry about him. Rahne had been so kind to her and she wished there was something more she could do to help her feel better, but she really had no clue what she was going through. Her cuts and bruises still hadn't completely healed and she was exhausted from her transformation, but she wanted to be sure Mike was going to be alright.

"He's a complete idiot…but he's still my friend." Noriko said. "I don't know what's wrong with him…yesterday he was the nicest guy ever, but today…I've never seen anything like that…I thought they were going to kill each other." She admitted.

"I'll nae try tae defend wha' he did, but I do understand it." Rahne told her. "Tha's wha' this life will do tae ye Noriko…if ye see as much pain and violence as we have…ye get angry and ye start tae fergit who ye are…even why yui're fightin'…and soon, th' fight's all ye have left." She sighed. Noriko knew Rahne was right, but it was still hard to accept that someone who had been so kind to her could have such anger in them as well. She heard the automatic doors open and she looked up as Mike stepped out of the intensive care unit.

"I'm sorry Rahne." He said as she walked up to him and the pair embraced. "There's no excuse fer what I did. I was really selfish…if you give me another chance, I'll always put you first and I'll never do anything to make you ashamed of me again." He said.

"I fergive ye…I acted like an animal today too." She said as they held each other.

"That wasn't you Rahne…that wasn't natural." He told her as he looked into her eyes. "You didn't have a choice…Hodge might have killed us if ya hadn't stopped him when ya did." He said. He could see how upset she was and he felt even more terrible for not checking on her when he'd gotten back. He realized she had the same fears and doubts that he did and he felt like a fool for not being more sensitive to her.

"I'm sorry I tried tae I hurt ye…" She said, remembering how she'd snapped at him.

"No, I'm sorry _**did**_ I hurt you." He said as he held her close.

"You should be." Noriko said bluntly as she got up to leave. "She's been down here the whole time _you_ were asleep." She told him.

"I'm sorry I hurt you too Nori." He said despondently.

"It's ok, I got to punch you in the face for it, so we're even." She told him. Mike nodded as she left and went back upstairs to her room. He wanted to be better for Rahne, but the wanted to be better for Noriko, Laura, Mark and the others as well and he really felt bad that he'd let them all down like this.

"Rahne…we need t' talk." He said as the left the medical bay.

"We do." She agreed. "But first, ye need a shower...ye smell like haggis and a night full of bad decisions." She said as she followed him to his room.

* * *

**The East Wing**

**-Sam and Tabitha's Room-**

"Ah'm not any better than Cable…" Sam sighed as he sat down on the edge of the bed beside Tabitha. She sat up, wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder as he reached down and held her hand. It wasn't often that Sam doubted himself, but she was always there for him when his confidence was shaken. She knew he still felt terrible about what had happened to Laura and he was worried about Mike as well. That fight had proved just how badly he needed help and Sam felt guilty about sending him on the mission in the shape he was in.

"That's not true and you know it, don't do this to yourself." She said as she held him close.

"Ah'm driving ya'll too hard…Ah don't want th' rest of ya'll t' end up like Mike." He said despondently.

"You didn't break Mike." She said emphatically.

"No, but Ah'm sending him out even though Ah know he's broken." Sam said, remembering how Cable had treated Rahne during the war. He told them that the mission always came first and that defeating Apocalypse was worth it, whatever the cost.

"Mike came to you, he volunteered for this." Tabitha reminded him.

"That doesn't give me th' right to take away what humanity he's got left." Sam told her.

"You're a good leader Sam, but more than that, you're a good man and that's why I love you." Tabitha said gently. "I know how important we all are to you, but ultimately it has to be Mike's decision to get help." She said. "I think after what happened; he'll make the right decision. He believes in the team and he cares about Rahne…you just need to make sure he knows you still believe in him." She told him. Sam turned and kissed her, grateful for her love and understanding. The mission could end the sentinel threat for good, but it was more dangerous than anything they'd done since the war and the burden of leadership had never felt heavier.

* * *

**The East Wing**

**-James' Room-**

"Terry…you need to stop beating yourself up over this." James said as she lay beside him in bed, her head resting against his chest. The ambush and Rahne's monstrous transformation had dredged up a particularly bad memory from the war for Theresa and she was feeling guilty.

"I'm alright." She said curtly.

"No you're not…I've seen that look before." He told her. "What happened to Rahne wasn't your fault…I don't want to see you do this to yourself again." James said.

* * *

**Two Years Earlier**

**The Ruins of Mid-Town Manhattan**

"_Cable! We need evac now!"_ Siryn yelled into the radio. _"It's a bloody trap! Shatterstar and Sunspot are both down and we're surrounded!"_ She yelled. They'd received intel that some of the captured X-Men and Avengers were being held in the area on their way to the **Pens**. With Cable injured, Domino missing and Sam and James on a secret mission to locate the psi-matar Theresa had led X-Force to rescue the captured heroes. They'd discovered too late that they'd walked into a trap and they were attacked by a group of Morlocks loyal to Apocalypse and led by Archangel.

"_The teleporter is still recharging!"_ Cable told her. _"You're on your own Terry! You've got to hold out!"_ Cable ordered.

"We're on our own!" Siryn said to the others as the grim reality of their situation hit home. They were all scared, but they refused to give in to fear and they looked to her for leadership. She'd never allow herself or any of her teammates to be captured by Apocalypse again and she swore to herself that no matter what it took _they_ were going to get out of this even if it meant she didn't.

"Rahne! Get Star and Bobby into cover! Patch 'em up and stay with 'em!" She ordered. They'd both been poisoned by Archangel's steel feathers and without Wolfsbane's intervention they wouldn't make it.

"Ric! Knock those buildings down to keep the Infinites from overrunning us! We're too exposed here!" She ordered as Rictor tried to focus on the enemy and not his injured boyfriend. He was worried, but he knew Wolfsbane would take care of him and began to level the buildings, building a defensive perimeter to help defend against attacks.

"Tabby! Ye, Ric and Amara have to stop Marrow and Caliban…I'll take care of Angel!" She ordered as they charged into battle. Magma engulfed Marrow in flames as she unleashed a flurry of razor sharp bone shards at the trio. Magma's flames incinerated the shards before they could impale Boomer and Rictor who were fighting for their lives against a supercharged Caliban.

"Bitch…" Marrow gasped. "It'll take a lot more than that…" She said as her burned flesh began to regenerate. She'd been supercharged as well and her healing factor was now more than capable of repairing even the most serious injuries.

"That enough?" Magma asked as the ground beneath Marrow's feet erupted, consuming her in blazing molten rock from the earth's interior. Marrow had made her choice and Magma couldn't afford to show her any mercy; she had to help her teammates before Caliban tore them apart.

Caliban roared like a wild beast as Boomer blasted him with a searing hot stream of raw plasma. Caliban was horribly wounded, but he was far from finished and he flew at Boomer in a murderous rage. Boomer hurled another bomb at him, but he caught her with a glancing blow, shattering her jaw and knocking her out cold. Rictor attacked him again, trying to save her, but Caliban was still too much for him and if not for Magma's last second intervention, he would have killed them both.

"Get back!" Magma yelled, unleashing a hellish blast of flame onto Caliban as he lunged for Rictor. The sickening stench of burning hair and flesh filled the air as Caliban was engulfed in flames. Rictor fell on top of Boomer to shield her as Caliban crashed into the rubble screaming and thrashing around to extinguish the flames. Magma flew at him in a rage, desperate to save her friends.

"I'll kill you!" She yelled as she hurled more fireballs at the supercharged hound of Apocalypse. Magma launched herself at full speed and slammed her flaming fist into Caliban's face as he turned to attack her. She shattered his cheek bone and blinded him in one eye as she sent him crashing into the rubble again. He'd already been seriously wounded by Boomer and Magma's savage onslaught was too much, even for him. Caliban scrambled to his feet and ran for nearby entrance to the subway, desperate to escape from Magma.

"Monster!" Magma screamed as she hurled more fireballs at him. Most of the Morlocks had abandoned Calisto to serve Apocalypse and they'd turned on their fellow mutants, dragging them away to Mr. Sinster's labs for his cruel experiments. She would have died in those labs if X-Force hadn't saved her during their escape and she hated Sinister and the Morlocks.

"Yeah…you better run…" Rictor wheezed, clutching his broken ribs. He was seriously injured and the searing pain in his side was almost unbearable, but at least he and Boomer were alive.

"You OK?" He asked, turning his attention to Boomer.

"He bwoke muh chaw…" She whimpered as she forced herself to get to her feet. She was in horrible pain, but she wasn't about to give up. They still had Archangel to deal with and she knew the whole area would be swarming with Infinites soon.

"Don't try to talk." Magma said as she helped Rictor to his feet. Boomer's injury was painful, but it wasn't nearly as serious as Rictor's. He was already coughing up blood and Magma was really worried about him.

"You do realize _who_ you're talking too right?" Rictor joked as Boomer flipped both of them off.

"Stop screwing around! We've got company!" She said as the Infinity soldiers opened fire on them. Magma got her injured friends behind cover, but they were surrounded and if Cable didn't get that teleporter working soon, they were done for. Meanwhile Siryn had managed to singlehandedly hold off Archangel and save her friends, but she'd almost worn out her voice fighting him. She'd managed to trap him by blasting him into a building that collapsed on him, but she knew that wouldn't hold him for long and now they had an army of Infinites to contend with.

"I'm not letting 'em take me alive." Rictor gasped as he tried to get to his feet, only to be stopped by Wolfsbane.

"We're not giving up and dying!" Siryn yelled at him. "We're getting out of here! Do you get me soldier?!" She yelled.

"I get you." Rictor said as he sat back down to let Wolfsbane treat him. He still thought it was hopeless, but Siryn's resolve gave him the courage to keep fighting for his friends.

"Ric, stay back and protect Star and Bobby…ye're not in any shape to fight now." Siryn ordered. "Boomer, I know ye're hurt, but I need ye to help me and Mara hold these bastards off a little longer." She said. "Rahne, I need ye to get up in that building and deal with that sniper…I don't have any voice left…I can't fly." She said.

She'd wanted to keep Wolfsbane out of the fight if at all possible. She'd been trapped in her hybrid form for months now and the constant stress of battle and fighting to control her feral instincts had pushed her to the breaking point. The last thing Siryn needed was for her to snap and change into her monster form. She couldn't control herself when she was like that and she was strong enough to could kill all of them.

"_I've got the snipers, you guys just worry about staying alive until Cable can teleport us out of this hell hole."_ A familiar voice said over the radio.

"_Domino?!"_ Siryn gasped.

"_What's left of me."_ She answered. _"Terry…I know things are bad right now, but you're doing fine…keep fighting, bring our people home."_ She told her.

"Ok, let's take 'em out!" Siryn ordered as they broke cover. "Rahne, stay here!" She said as Domino shot the sniper between the eyes and quickly took aim at another. Domino had taken cover in a burned out building behind their position so she could cover them until they could bodyslide again. She knew Theresa was capable, but she had to admit even she was impressed as she watched her team tear thorough the Infinites.

"_Terry! Behind you!"_ Domino yelled as she saw Feral creeping up on her. She tried to shoot, but her rifle was out of ammunition and there was nothing she could do to save Siryn as Feral savagely attacked her. Feral's powers had been supercharged by Mr. Sinister as well and there was no way Siryn could stop her after the beating she'd taken from Archangel. Feral tore into Siryn with her razor sharp claws and slammed her into the rubble so hard she nearly knocked her unconscious.

"Time to die Irish bitch." Feral snarled as she snatched her up from behind by her hair and put her claws to her throat.

"Get away from her!" Wolfsbane yelled as she leaped onto Feral's back, clawing and biting her. Feral shrieked in pain and dropped Siryn as she snatched Wolfsbane off her and hurled her to the ground. Wolfsbane tore into her again, but she was no match for Feral now that her powers had been supercharged by Mr. Sinister and she was quickly defeated.

"Don't worry Rahne…I didn't forget about _you_." Feral snarled as she stood over the badly beaten and bleeding werewolf. "I'm just saving you for last." She said darkly. It wasn't enough for her to kill Rahne; she wanted to make her suffer by watching her friends die first.

"Terry…no…" Wolfsbane choked out as she watched Feral snatch Siryn up by her hair again.

"I'm going to enjoy this." Feral hissed, her hot breath stinging Siryn's eyes. "ARRGGHH!" Feral screamed as Wolfsbane rammed her claws through her back, splattering blood all over Siryn as she fell to the ground. Siryn stared up in horror as Wolfsbane ripped Feral apart in front of her. Rahne had vowed that she would never lose another friend and in her desperation to save Siryn, she'd unleashed her full power.

"_Cable! Bodyslide by eight! Get us the hell out of here!"_ Domino yelled as Archangel burst out of the rubble and prepared to rain death upon them.

* * *

**Weapon X Facility**

**-Several Hours Later-**

"What the hell happened out there Domino?" Scott asked tersely as Logan poured her another shot of whiskey. Cable had wisely teleported them to the X-Men's base for badly needed medical attention, but after what had happened to Rahne, the X-Men wanted answers.

"Archangel set a trap for them." Neena said as she downed the shot and motioned for another. "Now, how are they?" She asked as she cut her eyes up toward Scott, giving him a disdainful look.

"Amara was asleep when I checked on them." Scott said. "Shatterstar and Roberto are both stable now…Hank said Rahne saved their lives out there." He told her.

"How _is_ Rahne?" Neena asked.

"She's a complete wreck." Scott said angrily. "Jean brought her back to her senses, but she ended up having to sedate her so she could wash the blood off her." He said. Rahne had never killed anyone before and she was inconsolable once she realized what she'd done. Jean was busy giving her some intensive psychic therapy while she slept, but Rahne was still going to have to learn to live with what she'd done.

"What about the others?" Neena asked after another shot and a moments silence.

"Richter has four broken ribs and a fractured arm." He told her. "Fortunately, Hank has been working on a tissue regenerator…so he should be up and around in two or three days." Scott explained. "Same goes for Tabitha…he had to wire her jaw shut, so enjoy the silence while you can." He said sarcastically.

"Where's Terry?" Neena asked.

"Still in the shower…I don't know who's in worse shape, her or Rahne." Scott answered. Scott had seen a lot of awful things in his time, but the sight of Theresa and Rahne drenched in blood was something he would never be able to forget.

* * *

**Weapon X Facility – Living Quarters**

Theresa sighed as she leaned against the table, staring blankly at the half empty bottle of whiskey in front of her. She took another drink, trying in vain to banish the memory of Rahne standing over Feral's body, soaked in her blood. Rahne was the sweetest, most innocent person she had ever known, but now she was a killer and it was all her fault. She'd failed Rahne, she'd failed everyone and she began to cry as she thought about them all lying in the medical bay.

"Terry…this isn't your fault." Neena said as she walked in and leaned against the doorframe. Theresa looked terrible; she was badly bruised and cut all over from her battles with Archangel and Feral, but it was her mental state that really concerned Neena. "You were out numbered and out gunned, but you still brought everyone home alive." She said, trying to offer her some peace of mind.

"Shut up." Theresa said as she wiped her eyes and took another drink. "They're not toy soldiers to **me**...they're me friends, they're me family." She told her. "Everybody's hurt…Rahne's scarred fer life and ye think I'm supposed to feel good about that?!" She asked incredulously.

"Terry…"

"Get out." Theresa said emphatically.

"Drinking to forget never works…I'm here when you're ready." Neena said as she closed the door. She didn't blame Theresa for being angry with her; especially after what had happened to Rahne. She thought Cable was wrong to keep sending Rahne back out in the state she was in, but she hadn't stood up to him. Now it was too late, Rahne had been pushed too far and she'd finally snapped, but it was Theresa who was left to pick up the pieces.

* * *

**The Present**

"Ok…ye're right…I'm **really** worried about Rahne." Theresa sighed. "She nearly lost it today…she needs to stick to teaching…being a soldier never suited her."

"I can't argue with that, but she saved the team and there's no way you could have kept her off the mission once she found out Hodge kidnapped those kids." James told her.

"I know…and I know she's strong, but I can't help but worry fer her." Theresa said. "Ye saw how shaken up she was…and now this thing with Mike…" She sighed. "What if he snaps like that again? What if he hurts her?" She asked.

"He won't." James said emphatically.

"Ye're sure?" She asked incredulously.

"You remember when I first came here and everybody said I was trouble and you shouldn't get involved with me?" He asked.

"Yeah…" She said quietly.

"Why did you?" He asked.

"Because I knew how lost and hurt ye were…because I'd lost everyone I ever loved and I knew just how ye felt." She said as she brushed away a tear. "I saw how ye watched out fer the others…even when they were hateful to ye…and I knew that under all that anger ye had a good heart." She said. "Ye're the only one in me whole messed up life who never walked out on me when things got rough." She told him. When her drinking had made her angry and hateful and even Rahne was at her wits end, James stood by her and he'd finally helped her overcome her addiction.

"You know…I'd probably be dead right now if it wasn't for you." He admitted. "Everyone needs to back off and give Mike and Rahne the same chance we had." He said.

"Ye're right…I need to try to help him instead of judging him like a hypocrite…I know how he feels right now." She said.

"Terry, I think you should let Rahne handle it." James said. "Mike probably won't even talk to you…he's not exactly great at sharing his feelings." He told her.

"I'm not trying to pry…I just want him to know he's not alone." She said.

"I know…but right now you need to focus on you." James said. "You've got enough to deal with already without all Mike's problems."

Ye _always_ do this." She huffed.

"Do _what_?" He asked.

"Ye're too overprotective."

"Sorry, but this is the kind of thing you have to put up with when somebody loves you." He told her. He _was_ being overprotective, but it was because he loved her and he knew she was still emotionally vulnerable. Even after all these years, she still hadn't fully overcome the trauma of losing her mother and even though her relationship with her father had improved, it was still a sore subject for her. All that combined with the painful memories of the war was enough to drive anyone to drink and James didn't want her to start feeling overwhelmed again.

"I love ye too Jimmy, but I need to do this." She told him as they settled in for the night. He knew there was no point in trying to convince her otherwise now that she'd made up her mind. He knew he couldn't fight this battle for her, but he'd be by her side every step of the way because she'd always been there for him.

Years earlier, he'd joined Emma Frost's Hellions to seek revenge against Xavier after his brother, John, had been killed on a mission with the X-Men. His grief and hatred for Xavier poisoned his mind and he'd made a lot of decisions he would always regret. Finally, his conscience got the better of him and he gave up on his plan to kill Xavier after a confrontation with Theresa. He felt he'd dishonored himself and his brother's memory so he left the Hellions and returned to his tribe to try to make amends with his family.

He returned to Camp Verde only to find his family and his whole tribe murdered by Stryfe. More angry and lost than ever, he returned to the Xavier Institute and asked to join the New Mutants because Stryfe was too powerful to face alone. Sam was going to turn him down, but Cable saw that he could be useful and he overruled him. The others didn't trust James and Cable only saw him as an asset, but Theresa understood what he was going through and she tried to help him. Eventually she'd gotten through to him and convinced him not to throw his life away in vengeance against Stryfe. She reminded him of who he really was and he'd vowed to honor his brother's memory by dedicating his life to protecting and helping others.

'_I know I'm overprotective, but I can't lose you too Terry.'_ James thought as she slept, safe in his arms. He hadn't been able to save his family or his tribe from Stryfe and she was all he had left. He loved her more than anything and losing her was the only thing he truly feared.

* * *

**The East Wing**

**-Mike's Room-**

Mike pulled on a pair of pajama pants and stepped out of the bathroom after his shower. Rahne had been waiting to talk with him, but she was so exhausted she'd fallen asleep on his bed. _'I promise I'll never treat you so badly again…'_He thought to himself as he picked up his Bible she'd been reading and turned out the lamp. He had serious doubts about himself; he was done with getting drunk, but he was still worried he might snap again. He'd never forgive himself if he hurt Rahne and he wondered if he was really good enough for her. He was touched by how quickly she had forgiven him; he didn't deserve it, he'd treated her shamefully.

'_I should have come crawling to you instead of crawling in that bottle.'_He thought as he knelt down to pray. Holmes was on his knees a long time that night, asking for forgiveness and confessing all his sins, fears and doubts to God and asking for his guidance. He prayed for the children they'd saved and for those they were going after. He prayed for Laura and Xian and that he would be able to help both of them build a new life. He prayed for Rahne and their relationship; that he could be the man he needed to be for her. He prayed for his teammates and the challenges they were facing in their lives. Finally, he prayed for their mission and an end to the threat to the school; he prayed that Xavier's dream would one day become reality.

* * *

**The East Wing**

**-Mark and Nicholas' Room-**

Mark lay in bed, staring at the ceiling; he still couldn't quite believe everything that had happened that day. He'd started the day in a cage, but now he safe and comfortable again thanks to the heroic actions of X-Force. He was grateful to be alive; grateful to be able to see his mother again tomorrow, but his joy was tainted with sadness when he thought of Laura. She'd sacrificed everything to bring them home and he was shocked and angry to learn how she'd been treated.

He wished he could just go to sleep and forget this ever happened; but he'd never be the same again and he knew it. He wasn't really thrilled with the idea of going to school at Xavier's but after what had happened he knew it was the best place for him and he didn't want to risk anything happening to his mother because he was a mutant. He tried to make himself feel better by reminding himself the school was full of beautiful girls, but even that didn't help much. He admired Mike and Laura's bravery, but he didn't want to end up impaled or burned like they had been. He wondered if any of the other kids had these same fears and doubts or if they just didn't realize what could happen.

He couldn't sleep and he really wished he had someone to talk about all this with besides Nicholas. He was too young to really understand what Mark was dealing with and he was too traumatized to be any help. He'd pulled all the sheets off his bed and curled up under it like a wolf in its den. Mark felt bad for him and even though he really didn't want a needy little brother tagging along with him, Nicholas didn't have anyone else to care about him.

"Mark? You still up?" Callie whispered as she opened the door just enough to peek inside. She needed someone to talk to as well and she felt she could trust Mark after their week of captivity.

"Yeah…I can't sleep either…" Mark said as he sat up in bed. He had come to respect Callie's gentle nature and quiet strength during their captivity and he was grateful for her company.

"Where's Nicholas?" She asked as she closed the door.

"Under there." Mark said, pointing at his empty bed.

"He's like a little wolf cub isn't he?" She said as she peeked under the bed at her sleeping friend.

"Yeah…he's different." Mark said.

"Can I stay with you for a while?" She asked as she came and sat down next to him.

"Yeah…I missed our talks." He said as put his arm around her and hugged her. "Thanks for everything you did for me when we were locked up Callie…I was hurt and scared and I just wanted to give up." He admitted.

"So did I, but you helped me too." She said. "I thought you were the brave one." She said, blushing slightly.

"No…Shan was the brave one." He said despondently.

"Yeah, I really hope she's gonna be ok…Laura too." Callie said.

"I wish we could have helped her…I feel like a coward." Mark told her.

"What were we going to do?" Callie sighed. "My powers are pretty useless in a fight and yours don't work without an iPod." She reminded him. "We're not like Mike and Laura…and I don't want to be."

"I don't think they do either." Mark said, remembering how depressed Mike seemed on the flight home. He and the rest of X-Force had obviously seen a lot of hardship and that mission was nothing like the superhero stories he'd heard growing up. "I don't want to be some kind of super soldier…but I liked what Ms. Munro said about helping people." He said.

"Yeah, she was really amazing." Callie agreed. "I'm gonna miss my mom and dad, but I think I'm gonna stay too…I feel normal for once." She said after a moment. Everyone knew her father was a mutant and everyone had always assumed she was as well, so she'd always felt a little out of place. She was also over six feet tall and not particularly well endowed which made her a little awkward around boys.

"Nobody's going to care about your ears here, that's for sure." Mark said, trying to cheer her up. "I don't see what the big deal was anyway."

"You don't think I look weird?" She asked. "I've got pointy ears and I'm taller than you."

"Maybe I like tall women." Mark said as he leaned in and kissed her. Callie was shocked; she'd never been kissed and even though she liked Mark and thought he was gorgeous, she hadn't considered a relationship now that they were free.

"Mark…I like you too…but I think I need some time to sort all this out." Callie said quietly. Mark slept in his boxers and they left practically nothing to the imagination; her heart was racing after just one kiss and she felt hot all over. He was clearly more experienced than she was and this was too fast for her after what had just happened.

"I'm sorry…I really thought we were gonna die and now that I've got another chance I wanted to make the most of it." He told her.

"It's ok, I liked it." She said reassuringly. "I'm not taking anything for granted anymore either, but _this_ is not something I'm going to rush into." She said emphatically. Mark realized she was reading more into that kiss than he meant, but maybe it was time he got serious about one girl and Callie was certainly worth getting serious about.

"We've got time." Mark told her. "Do you know which squad you're going to now that you're staying?" He asked after an awkward silence.

"No, do you?" she asked.

"They're putting together a new squad, the Paragons, under Ms. Sinclair…that werewolf lady." Mark told her. "Me and Nicholas are going with her…maybe they'll put you with us." He said hopefully.

"Yeah, that Pixie girl is on that team too…she's sweet." Callie said. "I don't know what help I'm going to be though…what am I going to do, throw flowers at a bad guy?" She asked.

"We can worry about that tomorrow." Mark said as he yawned. Callie nodded, she was tired too and she thought she might be able to sleep now. She felt safe with her friends in the institute and she knew that Mike, Sam, Tabitha and James were right down the hall as well. She knew they wouldn't let anything happen to them and she settled in next to Mark, thankful to have them watching over her.

* * *

**The East Wing**

**-Mike's Room-**

Lightning split the sky, illuminating the whole bedroom as the rain poured down and the storm raged outside. Mike felt the thunder shake the whole house as he sat up and checked on Rahne who was still sleeping peacefully despite the fury of the storm. He lay back on the folding cot he'd pulled out of the closet to sleep on and stared up at the ceiling as another bolt of lightning flashed through the sky and lit the room again. He'd waked about 10:30 PM when the storm hit and he hadn't been able to sleep since. The old cot was a lot more comfortable than the cold concrete floor of a fallout shelter, a muddy ditch or one of the fetid sewers he'd called home during the war, but every roar of thunder reminded him of an exploding shell and the lighting of tracer fire and energy blasts from the Infinites' guns. Even a year later, he could still smell the stench of the battlefield and hear the screams of dying men and he wondered if the war would ever really end for him.

He closed his eyes and prayed for God's help in overcoming this, but he knew he had to be willing to do his part as well. He knew it was past time he let go of his pride and anger and got professional help. He didn't care if people thought he was crazy or weak anymore, he couldn't bear the thought of hurting Rahne or his family like that again. It wasn't going to be easy; he hadn't been able to anyone about what he'd experienced and he didn't know how he was going to talk to some doctor about it.

'_Dad…I know you want me to come home and help with the kids, but I can't just let the world go to hell…I wish you understood why I'm here.'_ He thought as he rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. He'd always been able to turn to his father before, but now he felt abandoned and he was grateful for Rahne's forgiveness. He was just closing his eyes again when he heard Rahne's voice. Mike sat up startled and realized she was beginning to have a nightmare as she began to toss and turn in her sleep and cry out for her mother.

"Mum…mum, please…I cannae…" She moaned as he got up to comfort her.

"Rahne! Yer're safe! It's not real!" He said as sat down next to her on the bed and tried to comfort her.

"Tabby! NO! NO!" Rahne screamed as waked in terror.

"Yer're safe! So is Tabby…nobody's gonna hurt ya'll." Mike said gently, trying to reassure her.

"Mike…" Rahne gasped. "Och…bloody hell…" She sighed as she sat up and he gathered her in his arms.

"Yer're alright, it was just a nightmare." He explained. "I get 'em bad…I woke up and I didn't know where I was." He admitted. Rahne leaned back against his chest, still shaking with fear as she began to cry.

"I killed Tabby…" She cried. "Tha' monster took me and I killed her…"

"It wasn't real."

"I would ha' been if ye had nae stopped me…I went mad." She sniffed.

"I _didn't_ stop you…I couldn't." He said as he held her a little closer. "I helped, but **you** stopped th' wolf, yer're stronger than it is." He told her. Ever since Donald Pierce had warped her powers she'd been afraid she'd loose control and hurt her friends or her mother. Mike's words helped to ease the burden of fear and guilt and he continued to hold her and comfort her as she cried.

"Thank ye." Rahne said after a moment. "I'm sorry…I dinnae mean tae be actin' so badly." She said as she dried her eyes. She was still shaken up, but she was starting to feel better about her powers, better than she'd felt in a long time.

"I'm scared too." He admitted. "I could have killed Logan…I knew what I was doin' was wrong, but I was just so angry I didn't care…I need help Rahne."

"Ye dinnae ha' tae face this alone…I'll go wit' ye." She said as she turned and looked into his eyes. This wasn't the face he showed the rest of the team, he was completely open with her and she could see all the pain, fear, self-doubt and guilt in his eyes.

"I know how much it hurts…I saw terrible things tae, I was experimented on like an animal and I had tae kill tae save Terry." She told him. "If I could take it away from ye I would, but all I can do is help ye face it." She said.

"Thank you…I haven't been able t' talk about it to anyone…not even my dad." Mike said as he leaned up against the headboard and she sat beside him on the bed.

"It gets better Mike, I promise." Rahne said as she reached over and took his hand and he looked at her appreciatively. He really didn't have the words to thank Rahne for what she was trying to do for him. She had issues of her own to contend with, but she was willing to risk reopening old wounds to help him get his life back together. He still felt terrible, but he wasn't as worried as he had been about seeing a psychiatrist now that she was going to go with him.

"Muh doctor is an expert on PTSD and he understands our faith tae…he's done so much fer me and he can help ye if ye'll let him." She said. He'd encouraged her to pursue her dreams, to live free like she always wanted to and to use her experiences to help others. Rahne had done just that, she'd slowly become more outgoing and she'd committed herself to helping the next generation of mutants. She grew further in her faith as well; Reverend MacLaren taught her it wasn't a terrible burden meant to chain her down as her father had tried to make her believe. God's grace freed her from damnation and she'd accepted forgiveness for what she'd done and rededicated herself.

"I want t' be better fer you…and my family." He told her. "I'll go see yer doctor after this mission." He said.

"Aye…the mission…" Rahne sighed. "Ye can ha' yui're bed back, ye need tae get some sleep."

"I don't think I can sleep anymore." He sighed.

"I'll stay with ye till ye can." She said.

"Thanks Rahne." He said as he started to get up to get back on the cot, but Rahne stopped him. She thought it was sweet he'd given up his bed for her, but he wasn't going to do it again. She could tell he didn't want to be alone and they were both adults, they both respected each other and they knew what this meant.

"It's big enough fer two." She told him as she scooted over to one side of the mattress. Rahne's mothering instincts had kicked in and she wanted to comfort him, but she was lonely as well and Mike made her feel special.

"Mike…who did this tae ye?" Rahne asked as he rolled over and picked his pillow up off the cot beside the bed. He wasn't wearing anything but his pajama pants and dog tags and she could see the scars on his back even in the darkness with her powers. He had quite a few from his years of fighting and his first encounter with Laura, but these were different and she could tell they had once been serious wounds to leave marks like that in spite of his accelerated healing.

"Mikhail Rasputin." He told her as he rolled back over and lay down on his pillow.

"Wha' happened?" She asked.

"Rahne…do we have t' do this now?" He asked. "Do ya really wanna deal with _all_ my shit after what you've been through today?"

"Yui're nae alone anymore…yui're nae th' only one who's gone through this…I was tortured tae…ye can tell me wha' happened." She said as she sat back up in bed. Mike sighed and sat back up as well; they had just met, but Rahne was so genuine in her concern for him and he was so lonely that he began to talk about his experiences with her.

"Me and Bedlam were on our way back from knockin' out one of th' power stations feedin' th' tower when Hawkeye and Black Widow's team got shot down behind th' line." He said. "We didn't wait fer orders, we went after 'em." He told her. "Jesse…Bedlam…could generate neural EMP and regular EMP and we managed to hold off th' Infinites long enough to evacuate th' others…but we didn't make it. I got hit bad and he wouldn't leave me…we'd been together since th' academy…we were like family." He said as he wiped his eyes. "His powers finally gave out and we ended up with Mikhail…that sick bastard hated humans and he wanted to punish Jesse fer sidin' with us…so he strung him up in front of all his followers to make an example of him." He said. "I told th' son of a bitch to leave him alone…to take me instead." Mike told her.

"Ye took tha' beatin' fer him?" Rahne asked as she tried to comfort him.

"I was fourteen when I went to th' academy…I'd never really been away from my family and I was scared, but Jesse never had a family and he was just glad to have friends as weird as he was. We got to be roommates; he made me feel better and we were best friends from then on." He told her. "I used to take him home with me at Thanksgiving and Christmas…my folks pretty much adopted him." He said. Rahne began to understand the depth of Mike's pain; he and Jesse were more than just friends, they really were like brothers. She knew he felt bad about being separated from his family for so many years, especially his little sisters and that made Jesse's loss even harder to bear.

"He always kept me grounded…I would have been a _"superhero"_ 24-7 if it wasn't fer him…he kept me human." Holmes said after a moment. "He talked me into gettin' that car when we graduated and started gettin' paid to bust heads…got me t' have fun…got our minds off all th' blood and guts fer a while." He told her. "He was there fer me every time my life went to hell…and I went with him to find his brother once we found out he was still alive…that didn't end well."

"Wha' happened?" Rahne asked.

"Th' bastard was evil; he was a super villain…he wanted Jesse to join him." Mike said. "Jesse was disgusted by him and when he found out Chris killed their parents he beat th' hell out of him." He said. "Jesse didn't give up on him though; he tried to talk to him when he was on the Raft…but Chris disowned him. Selfish asshole; all Jesse ever wanted was a real family…but Chris stole it from him." He said as he remembered comforting his friend. He hated himself because he wasn't there for his little sisters when they needed him and he hated Chris for abandoning his little brother.

"He wasn't alone, he had ye." Rahne said as she put her hand on his shoulder. She understood exactly how Jesse felt; she'd been sad for years because she didn't have a family, but then she was adopted and after that she met the New Mutants and Tabitha. Rahne could see that Mike and Jesse's relationship had been a lot like she and Tabitha's. Rahne cared for Tabitha and took care of her the way Mike watched over Jesse like a big brother. Tabitha encouraged Rahne live her life to the fullest and wouldn't let her give into sadness and self-pity, just like Jesse had done with Mike.

"I couldn't give up on him…I finally figured out that Celestial tech and deactivated th' energy field on my cell, but by then Mikhail had hooked Jesse up to his ship's weapons system and he was attacking th' base on Staten Island. Jesse was nearly dead when I found him…his body couldn't take th' kind of stress that machine was puttin' on him, but he still knocked that ship outta th' air…and he saved me from Mikhail." He said as he became emotional again; he'd never told this to anyone before.

"I couldn't have taken Mikhail on my best day, but I didn't last two minutes in th' shape I was in…" Mike said. "I wanted Jesse to run, but he wouldn't…he fried Mikhail's armor with his powers and I beat that son of a bitch to death…" He choked out. "Jesse was dead when I got back to him." He told her as he completely broke down. Normally he wouldn't give in to his emotions, but somehow it didn't seem so bad to cry in front of Rahne and he just couldn't bear the pain any longer. Rahne continued to comfort him for a few minutes until he composed himself again.

"This willnae help much now, but I'll tell ye wha' Reverend MacLaren told me…he said I had three choices, I could let it destroy me, define me, or strengthen me." She said as she put her arm around him. "Jesse loved ye, he died tae save ye and I dinnae believe he'd be happy if he knew how miserable ye are now…blamin' yuirself fer his death." She told him.

"I wasn't strong enough." Mike sighed.

"I was nae **yuir** fault!" Rahne said firmly. "Jesse didnae die so ye could feel guilty and torture yerself…he wanted ye to live, ye were his brother and he loved ye!" She said emphatically. "Illyana died tae save our team back when we were New Mutants…we all felt guilty tae, but mum told us we should honor her sacrifice and ne'er take another day fer granted again. I try tae do tha' everyday, because Illyana didnae die fer nothin'!" She said as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "Live like Jesse wanted ye tae!" She said as he held her close. Rahne's words weren't easy to hear, but Mike knew she was right; Jesse had pulled him out of the hell he was in when he returned from Genosha and he'd be trying to help now if he was still alive.

"It'll be alright Rahne." Mike said as she started to cry too. "I'm not afraid to face this anymore." He said. He recognized his problems, but he didn't really seem much better and Rahne knew from her own experience that healing would take time and patience. She didn't regret beginning a relationship with him; she'd seen her share of tragedy as well and they'd both helped each other. Rahne offered a quiet prayer of thanks as they settled in for the night and soon both were asleep again; able to find comfort in each other.

* * *

**Next issue: Will it be the end of the sentinels or the end of X-Force? &amp; who is ****_really _****behind the threat?**


	6. X-Force 6: Rise

**Authors Note:** To the few who have been keeping up with this story; I apologize for the long delay. I hope you'll find it was worth the wait. Thanks again for reading.

* * *

**Back to the Story**

The X-Force, a special operations unit formed by Charles Xavier's former students, the New Mutants, stand ready to strike at the enemies of the mutant race. Their aggressive approach to the conflict between humanity and the mutants has put them at odds with their mentor and the X-Men. However, with the mutant nation of Genosha reduced to ashes and anti-mutant hysteria raging after the war with Apocalypse, the X-Force may be the best hope for the survival of the mutants.

**Previously**

The news of Trask Industries collusion with RIGHT put the X-Men in a difficult position and they were forced to acknowledge X-Force had been right about the NIMROD project. Tension ran high between the two teams because of Laura and Josh, but Ororo and Sam were able to put their differences aside to help the young mutants Trask is holding captive. A special team of X-Men will accompany Sam and Cable's X-Force teams as they assault Trask Industries to put an end to the NIMROD project permanently.

Unfortunately, Mike and Logan let their past and their emotions get the better of them and they destroyed Harry's Hideaway in a drunken brawl. Mike was ashamed of his actions, but he found comfort with Rahne who was feeling terrible as well. He was able to ease her fears about her powers and she convinced him to seek counseling for the emotional trauma he suffered during the war. Meanwhile, James and Theresa struggled with their own fears and regrets.

**The final mission against the sentinels has begun, but even the combined strength of the X-Force and the X-Men may not be enough to stop Bolivar Trask and his new sentinels.**

This Issue:

X-Force: Cannonball, Boomer, Siryn, Warpath, Wrath, Wolfsbane, Mirage, Cypher, Cable, Domino, Sage, Bishop and **DEADPOOL**

X-Men: Storm, Cyclops, Wolverine, M, Dr. Reyes, Beast, Dr. Nemesis, Forge, Night Crawler

Students: X-23, Mercury, Surge, Hellion, Rockslide, Prodigy, Pixie, Elixir, the Cuckoos

Faculty Members: Karma, Sharon Friedlander, Annie Ghazikhanian

* * *

**X-Force # 6: Rise**

**Trask Industries Main Weapons Development Facility**

**White Plains New York**

**-Dawn-**

_"Ah don't like this Mike…"_Sam said as Mike ducked into the shadows behind some shipping containers stacked behind the main assembly plant. Sam was watching the live feed from his nano-camera and he was getting worried even though the security was geared toward keeping mutants out and Mike hadn't had too much trouble getting in so far. Mike wasn't taking any chances though; he'd just seen Iron Man land ahead of the Quinjet carrying Larry Trask and the place was crawling with sentinels and SHIELD agents. Forge had given him an image inducer, but it had limited power and he didn't want to use it until Cypher was certain of Larry's location in the complex. SHIELD had taken him into custody at his home the day before, but they weren't done questioning him and they needed him to unlock the main database.

_"I can do this Sam….its why I'm here."_ Mike said defensively. _"Listen….I'm sorry about yesterday, but it's done."_ He told him. He'd made a fool of himself, embarrassed Sam as a leader and he'd made the whole team look bad. He really didn't blame Sam for questioning his competence after what he'd done, but he was the only chance those kids had to come home alive and he was going to succeed no matter what.

_"If Ah didn't believe in you, you wouldn't be there."_ Sam said bluntly. He was certainly disappointed in Mike, but he still trusted him and he couldn't stand the thought of losing another friend. Despite Mike's training and years of experience, Cypher calculated a 75% chance of capture and Sam had briefly considered calling off the mission.

"_I'm sorry…."_ Mike said, feeling like a complete ass.

_"So am Ah."_ Sam told him. _"Ah know what yer're goin' through and Ah should have been there fer ya."_ He told him. _"Ah didn't want to admit Ah had a problem….Ah couldn't admit it until Ah yelled at Tabitha and made her cry one night."_ He admitted_. "Ah promised Ah'd never hurt her….but Ah treated her like crap, just like her worthless dad….that was ma rock bottom moment Mike._"

_"I don't ever wanna see that look in Rahne's eyes again."_ Mike admitted. _"I'm screwed up Sam, but I'm gonna get help."_

_"Ah know yer're strong enough to beat this Mike…..we've all been there, yer're not crazy, yer're not a monster and yer're not alone."_ Sam told him_. "You remember yer're part of a team, part of a family."_ He added. Mike began to feel a lot better knowing that Sam and the others still believed in him and trusted him. Sam never ceased to inspire his confidence and respect, but it was his friendship that meant the most to Mike. He knew Sam cared about him as much more than just a teammate and he could tell how concerned he was for him.

_"Sorry to interrupt the bromance guys, but they've got Larry locked down in the third floor executive conference room."_ Cypher said as he broke in on the conversation. Larry had spent the night at SHIELD HQ after they had brought him in for questioning and this was their first and only chance to get at him.

_"We don't want this to be too easy now do we?"_ Mike asked sarcastically.

_"Have fun storming the castle."_ Cypher told him.

_"If I get caught, ya'll get th' hell outta here and don't look back."_ Mike said as he activated his image inducer and instantly changed into a SHIELD agent in full battle gear just like those stationed outside. The inducer was based on Danger Room hard-light technology from the Shiar Empire and Sam hoped it would be enough to fool the SHIELD agents.

_"We don't leave our people behind."_ Sam said emphatically.

_"This time you have to….there's nothin' to tie me back to ya'll or th' school and it has t' stay that way."_ Mike said as he cut the transmission and headed out after Larry.

* * *

**Aboard the PACRAT**

Sam cursed in disgust and threw the microphone down at the comm. station. He had serious misgivings about this mission; so far he'd managed to avoid fighting other heroes, but there might be no avoiding it this time. Worse than that, he was risking his friend's freedom and maybe his life; SHIELD and the Avengers would certainly view Mike as a traitor if he was discovered. Unfortunately, they couldn't openly ask SHIELD for help and they didn't have another choice if they wanted to save those kids.

Bolivar Trask had vanished before SHIELD could take him into custody and even Cypher couldn't find any trace of him. Sam was convinced that Stephen Lang from the Department of Defense had set up a secret factory for Trask during the war in case Apocalypse succeeded in capturing New York City. Lang didn't report to SHIELD and he'd been able to hide the project by exploiting the chaos caused by the invasion. Sam was certain the factory was automated and had year's worth of materials on hand so they could mount a resistance against Apocalypse if necessary. Unfortunately, Lang was dead thanks to Mystique and the secret had died with him.

"Never gets any easier, does it?" Scott asked.

"No…" Sam sighed. "It's bad enough to have to risk fightin' th' Avengers…but to just abandon Mike if this goes south…I can't do it." He said.

"Being a leader means having to make the hard decisions." Scott told him. "You know he's right."

"Spare me another one of yer condescendin' lectures." Sam snapped. "We wouldn't be here if **_you'd_** been willin' to make th' hard decisions." He said bitterly. "After everything Mikes done he deserves better than to be locked up on th' **RAFT** fer th' rest of his life with scum and terrorists." He said as he pushed his way past Scott and went to talk to Kurt.

"Rahne….he'll come back. He _always_ comes back." James said as Rahne knelt down to pray for Mike's safe return. She already had serious misgivings about this part of the mission and that argument didn't help her feelings. It was one thing to fight RIGHT, but SHIELD and the Avengers were good people and she hoped Mike wouldn't be forced to confront them. They were doing the right thing, but they were about to cross and line she'd never considered crossing before and she was worried she'd never see Mike again. He'd promised her he'd be fine, he'd even given her his dog tags to keep for him, but she'd lost friends before and she didn't ever want to go through that again.

* * *

**Trask Industries Main Weapons Development Facility**

**White Plains New York**

_"You ever done anything like this before?"_ Cypher asked as Wrath stepped off the elevator, still disguised as a SHIELD agent, and headed for the third floor conference room where Larry Trask was being held. Wrath had uploaded Cypher's spyware into the Trask's system, but he hadn't found any new leads. Tony Stark's analysis of the wrecked Nimrod units proved they weren't manufactured at the main facility in White Plains or at the secondary facility in Seattle. That seemed to prove Cannonball's theory about the secret factory, but it didn't bring them any closer to actually locating it and now they only had one option left. As hypocritical as it seemed, Cypher was uncomfortable with the thought of Wrath wringing the information out of Larry; he thought it sounded like torture.

_"Yeah….after th' war."_ Wrath answered. _"SHIELD got wind of an international prostitution ring targeting th' war orphans and Colonel Fury sent me to deal with 'em…I got pretty good a puttin' th' psychic screws to those sons of bitches."_ He explained. He'd psychologically destroyed the pimps by forcing them to experience all the pain, fear and humiliation they'd inflicted on their victims and carry the horrifying memories forever. They were too broken and traumatized to resist once he was done and he'd taken out their whole organization.

"_I didn't think Avengers did things like that."_ Cypher said.

_"Those bastards were sellin' kids as sex slaves! What th' hell was I supposed t' do?!"_ Wrath asked angrily. New York City had descended into anarchy after the war and SHIELD had deployed many of the lower tier Avenger teams like Wrath's **Fallen Angels** to help the troops keep order. Wrath wasn't proud of some of the things he'd done after the war, but he'd do them again to save those children from being tortured and killed in a cruel experiment.

_"I know, but…."_

"_No,_**_you _**_don't."_ Wrath said emphatically_. "_**_You _**_have no idea what hell those kids went through and yer're th' last person on this team who needs to be givin' me a lecture on morality."_ Wrath said bluntly.

_"Yeah...well, _**_you're _**_supposed to be the good guy."_ Cypher said.

_"Kiss my ass! If it was somebody _**_you _**_loved bein' raped and sold like property you wouldn't have a problem with it!"_ Wrath told him as he cut the transmission. He'd be damned if he was going to listen to anymore of Cypher's self-righteous hypocrisy.

_"Asshole."_ Cypher snapped as he turned his attention back to hacking the sentinels programming. He'd identified a vulnerability in their SATCOM network allowing him to break in and access their code. He understood their language now and he was a few minutes away from being able to override their programming and force them to attack the Nimrod units. He was also hacked into the security system so he could use the cameras and sensors to keep track of Commander Maria Hill and Ironman as they inspected the facility. They were occupied for the moment, but whatever Wrath was going to do, he needed to do it quickly.

_'I hope this thing doesn't crap out on me.'_ Wrath thought as he adjusted his image inducer and changed into a perfect likeness of Commander Hill.

"Good morning ma'am" The two agents on guard outside the conference room said in unison as they saluted. Wrath knew they were probably wearing neuro-shield helmets so he had adjusted the voice scrambler in his helmet to make himself sound just like Commander Hill to fool them.

"As you were." He replied curtly as he returned their salute. His ruse worked, not only did he look just like Commander Hill, but he was able to make them think he sounded like her too. He'd barely gotten inside and locked the doors before he was set upon by and irate Larry Trask.

"I already told you everything I know yesterday!" Larry yelled. "You can't keep me detained like this! I have rights!" He raged.

"To hell with yer rights!" Wrath hissed as he seized him by the throat and slammed him down on the conference room table. Larry had lived in fear of a mutant trying to take revenge on him for years and he nearly died of fright, thinking a metamorph had finally found a way to bypass his security.

"I already told SHIELD _everything_…" Larry choked out as Wrath entered his mind. He tried to cry out for help, but he couldn't make a sound, Wrath had complete control of his mind and his body and terror overwhelmed him. Wrath ignored the revolting crawling sensation on his skin as Larry's fear grew with each passing second. Psychic interrogation was unpleasant to say the least, but he'd turn his mind inside out if that's what it took to save those kids.

"Don't waste my time with yer bullshit!" Wrath snapped as he snatched Larry up and slammed him against the wall. "I'm a telepath and I know yer're lyin' to me." He said in an icy tone. "Yer dad's buddy Hodge ain't too good at keepin' secrets…we know about th' secret factory Lang built and th' experiments yer dads been doin' on th' kids there." He explained. "Now…I'm gonna ask you nicely once and then I'm gonna rip yer mind inside out if ya lie to me again." He said.

"Where is yer dad?" Wrath asked menacingly.

"I'm not going to help you kill my father!" Larry gasped.

"I don't want to kill anybody!" Wrath yelled. "I just came to save those kids…now where is he!?" He yelled as he tore into his mind.

* * *

**Aboard the PACRAT**

"How's he doin' in there?" Sam asked as he walked up behind Theresa and James who were watching the video feed from Wrath's nano-camera.

"He just got inside with Larry." James said. "Shouldn't take long now."

"Keep an eye on him." Sam ordered. "Ah need to talk t' Terry fer a minute."

"Wha's this about Sam?" Theresa asked as they stepped away into the cargo hold for a moment. He wasn't in a habit of keeping secrets from the others and she wondered what he had to say to her that he didn't want James to hear.

"Ah need to change th' plan." Sam told her. "Those kids are th' first priority and makin' sure nobody can ever use that base again is th' second….Ah'm not riskin' th' whole team on Bolivar like Ah did with Hodge…it's just me and Scott going after him." He explained. "Ah know what happened on yer last mission was bad and Ah wanted t' wait fer somethin' _"low pressure"_ before Ah asked ya to lead again….but Ah need you now." He said emphatically.

"Wouldn't Wrath be a better choice to lead the assault team?" Theresa asked after a long pause.

"No, he wouldn't." Sam said emphatically. "Terry, what happened before was **_not_** yer fault…that mission was screwed from th' get go." He told her. "Hell, do ya think it would have been any different if me or Cable had been in command?!" He asked.

"It doesn't matter, it was **my** mission and I nearly got us all killed." Theresa said angrily.

"It was a trap, but ya brought everybody back alive…**_that's_** what matters." Sam reminded her. "If this thing goes to hell, then I want you in there to bring our people home." He said. "Ah believe in you Terry…Ah need you to believe in yerself again." Sam said.

"Ok Sam." She said after a long pause.

"_Cannonball, you need to come take a look at this."_ Cypher interrupted.

"On ma way." Sam said as he headed back to the comm. station to see what Cypher wanted.

"We talked about this Terry." Tabitha said as Theresa looked up, startled. Tabitha had made a hammock out of the cargo net in the hold and she'd been asleep until Sam and Theresa started talking beneath her.

"How long are you gonna keep beating yourself up over this?" She asked.

"It's not as easy as ye want it to be Tabby." Theresa said defensively.

"It really is." Tabitha said bluntly as she jumped down next to her. "The trouble is; you're trying **_so_** hard to prove you're better than your dad that you can't let it go." She told her. Theresa's mother had been killed in a terrorist bombing when she was six and her father had been unable to cope with the loss of his wife and raise his daughter. He'd struggled with alcoholism for years and he'd finally sent Theresa away to boarding school at age twelve. Theresa felt abandoned and unloved and she'd become obsessed with protecting her adopted family and keeping them safe.

"Shut up!" Theresa choked out as she wiped away a tear. "What the hell do ye know?!" She snapped. She wanted to yell at Tabitha and tell her that wasn't true, but deep down she knew it was. X-Force was the only family Tabitha had and she understood how Theresa felt, but it was time for some tough love.

"You didn't**_ fail_** Rahne until you got shit-faced drunk." Tabitha told her. "She blamed herself for that on top of everything else she was going through." She said.

"Stop it!" Theresa cried as her eyes filled with tears.

"No, you need to face this head on." Tabitha said emphatically. "You're not responsible for your dad's choices or for Rahne's. Right now you're responsible for this team and you need to get your head straight." She told her. "You're the only reason we made it through that fight…you're a good leader Terry and I'd follow you anywhere just like Sam…but not when you're like this. You've got to let this go, **now**."

"I can't believe I needed a lecture on responsibility from **_ye_**." Theresa said as she began to regain her composure. Tabitha certainly wasn't eloquent, but she was right and Theresa was ashamed of herself. She _was_ trying to be better than her father, but she'd ended up treating her loved ones the way he'd treated her and she felt terrible for making Rahne feel guilty.

"Yeah, that's pretty screwed up." Tabitha admitted. "Look, I know I was a bitch…but it's because I love you." She said as she hugged Theresa.

"I love ye too Tabby…and ye're right…I deserved that." Theresa said.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**-Main Medical Bay-**

Even though it was still very early, the medical bay was a whirlwind of activity. Dr. McCoy, Dr. Nemesis, David Allen and the Stepford sisters were hard at work trying to bring Josh Foley out of his coma. Emma Frost's clones, Celeste, Mindee and Phoebe could combine their telepathic power into an ultra powerful "hive mind" and they were essential to David's plan to heal his roommate. Dr. Nemesis was busy monitoring the process at the main computer when Forge walked in, still yawning.

"You look worse than usual." Dr. Nemesis said. Coffee?" He asked as he offered Forge a cup of his latest concoction. Forge had worked late repairing Wrath's armor and he was still tired, but he wanted to get started on Xian's prosthetic leg. He hesitated for a moment, eyeing Dr. Nemesis warily before he took the cup.

"PFFFFFT! What did you put in this?!" He gasped as he took a sip. He felt like he was having a heart attack; even Dr. MacTaggert's coffee wasn't this bad.

"Science!" Dr. Nemesis said triumphantly.

"It tastes like gasoline!" Forge yelled.

"You have no appreciation for true genius." Dr. Nemesis scoffed as he turned back to his work. Josh's biometric data was unlike anything he'd seen before and he sat enraptured as he watched his DNA rewrite itself as his powers adapted.

"Whatever you're doing, it looks like its working." Forge said as he and Nemesis both watched as Josh's brain activity began to increase exponentially and his vitals began returning to normal.

* * *

**Psionics Lab**

"Why does my head hurt so much?" Josh asked weakly as Dr. McCoy continued to examine him and Danielle sat at his bedside trying to comfort him. He felt completely drained and his head was pounding; it was worse than that time he and Julian had sneaked a bottle of Logan's whiskey and gotten drunk.

"Mindee, Phoebe and Celeste just gave you a PhD. in about 30 seconds." David explained.

"Marvelous job girls, I really must commend you." Hank said. The three telepaths had transferred all his knowledge of biology and human anatomy to Josh and then given him a "psychic push" as they called it to jump start his healing process. The procedure was a success and Josh appeared to have made a full recovery, although he was still very weak.

"What else would you expect?" Emma asked as her three clones stood there looking exceedingly pleased with themselves. They hadn't needed Emma's help to save Josh and they were beginning to realize just how powerful they could be when they worked together.

"That was a great idea David; I can't thank you enough." Danielle said as she hugged him. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her now that she knew Josh was going to make a full recovery. David was thankful the plan had worked for Danielle's sake and for Josh's. He thought his roommate was an arrogant jerk, but he also felt sorry for him and often found himself watching out for him like an older brother.

"Thanks." Josh said quietly. He'd been trying to prove to everyone how awesome he was, but all he'd proven was that he was a clueless beginner.

"Where's Rahne?" Josh asked after a moment as he looked around the room. He could have sworn he'd heard her voice calling to him to wake up, but she was nowhere to be seen and he was really disappointed.

"She left with X-Force on their mission…why?" Danielle asked.

"Never mind…" Josh said despondently; realizing what had happened. Celeste needed something to motivate Josh's subconscious to heal him, so she'd sought out his strongest desire. Needless to say, the girls all thought it was hilarious that Josh had a crush on Rahne and that she'd totally rejected him. Josh felt completely humiliated, he'd been rejected by Rahne, saved by David and now the Stepford sisters had seen his sexual fantasies.

_'I wish I was back in a coma...'_He thought to himself as the three blondes all began giggling in unison.

_'That was worth getting up early for.'_Mindee teased as she linked minds with her sisters again.

_'Yeah, I never laughed so hard in my life.'_Celeste agreed. _'What a loser!'_

_'Totally, who wants to be with a girl who turns into a mutt?'_ Phoebe added.

"Thanks for saving me…" Josh said meekly, barely able to make eye contact with them.

"You're welcome _Slick_." They all said, using Rahne's derogatory nickname for him. The girls couldn't control their laughter as they excused themselves and followed Emma out of the lab. Josh hung his head in shame; they'd be rubbing his nose in it for years to come.

"What was that all about?" Danielle asked.

"They're weird." David said, trying to spare Josh any more humiliation.

"Oh shit." Josh gasped as the doors opened and Dr. Nemesis entered the lab.

"What do **_you_** want?" Danielle asked. She didn't care what he'd done for the X-Men during the war, she thought he was crazy and she didn't want him anywhere near Josh.

"To run more tests on Elixir." Dr. Nemesis said as he pulled one of his gadgets out of his coat and Josh scooted a little closer to Danielle.

"You're not going to try to plug something into his brain again are you?!" She asked.

"Better than where he tried to plug something into Mike." Forge said as he came to the door and looked in to check on Josh. Danielle looked completely beaten down and he was trying to lighten the mood and make her feel a little better, but it didn't seem to help much.

"Your sophomoric humor is a blight on our civilization you peg-legged tinkerer!" Dr. Nemesis snapped as he turned to Forge. "Go play with your toys! Grown ups are talking!" He fumed.

"You have more than enough data already James." Hank scolded as he shooed the mad doctor out of the lab. "Josh is under **_my_** care and right now and I'll not have you treating him like another experiment." He said firmly. He was still angry that Nemesis hadn't even attempted to discuss Mike's PTSD with him, let alone offer treatment options and wasn't taking any chances with Josh.

"Don't condescend to me you troglodyte!" Dr. Nemesis snapped as he and Hank glared at each other. "Michael came to me for answers, not treatment! I'm not a psychiatrist! It's not my job to listen to him talk about his feelings!" He yelled.

"Get out Nemesis!" Hank yelled, momentarily loosing his composure. He was infuriated that Nemesis had mentioned Holmes' PTSD in front of Danielle and Josh. Dr. Nemesis pushed his way past Forge and headed back to his lab to work on his latest experiment as Hank tried to compose himself.

"I knew that guy was crazy." Josh said.

"Josh! Don't ever let me hear you say anything like that again!" Danielle yelled.

"You better pray you never go through what he did." Forge said as he glared at Josh

"I'm sorry…" Josh said.

"You should be." Forge said angrily.

"Why do you put up with him?!" Danielle asked. She thought Dr. Nemesis was awful and she couldn't understand how Hank and Forge could stand to work with him.

"I hate to say it, but we need that morally bankrupt horse's ass." Forge said angrily. He'd dealt with PTSD and the stigma that came with it when he'd returned from the service and he knew exactly what Mike was going through.

"I don't care; I don't want him anywhere near Josh." Danielle said emphatically.

"Don't worry Danielle, I'll run all the tests myself." Hank said, trying to reassure her. "Josh, I want you take it easy; your body is completely drained after healing Laura…and yourself." Dr. McCoy told him. "I don't want you trying to use your powers again until I've had a chance to study your biometric data in more detail."

"But…what about Shan's leg?" Josh asked.

"Josh…..she lost it." Hank said as came and sat beside him. "We knew you would only have enough power to heal one of them and we chose Laura…it was Xian's leg or her life." Hank explained.

"I'm working on a prosthetic leg for her now; she's going to walk again." Forge said trying to make him feel better. Josh was devastated by the news; he'd tried to heal Forge's injuries and he'd learned he only had a limited amount of time to regenerate lost tissue. His powers were still growing, but he couldn't be sure he'd ever develop that capability any further and he was sick at the thought that he'd failed to help Xian.

"I know you much you wanted to help Shan….but you can't dwell on it." Danielle said trying to comfort him. "You saved Laura's life and you should be proud of that." She said as she put her arm around him.

"Everybody feels different about her now." David explained. "Because of you, she has a chance to have a real life." He said.

"Thanks." Josh sighed. He felt like he should have been able to heal both of them and he was disgusted with himself for not being stronger. He was an omega level mutant, he was supposedly had almost godlike power, but right now he felt pathetic.

"I'll take care of him today David, you've done enough." Danielle said as she helped Josh to his feet. "Come on, I'll get you something to eat." She told Josh as she helped him walk to the elevator. Josh felt too bad to give Danielle any attitude like he usually did when she tried to comfort him; he was just glad to have someone who cared.

* * *

**Forge's Lab**

"David, I need you go to the inventory and pull everything on this list for me." Forge said as he handed the young lab assistant a list as long as his arm. "I don't want Xian off her feet any longer than she has to be." He said as he sat down at this computer and double checked her measurements and the blueprints before he started working on her prosthesis again. He was impressed by Xian's bravery and having suffered a similar injury himself, he wanted to help her adjust to life as an amputee as painlessly as possible.

"Can I help?" David asked as he examined the list. "I promise I won't get in your way, but I really want to learn how to help people like Xian and…."

"Forgehelp!SomethingswrongwiththegauntletsandI'mgoingtooverload!" Noriko blurted out as she suddenly rushed into the lab followed by Megan, who was also still in her pajamas. Noriko didn't realize she'd damaged the capacitors in one of her gauntlets punching Mike the day before and she'd gotten a rude awakening when it finally shorted out moments ago.

"Come on Nori, we have to siphon off your excess power!" David said as he and Forge helped her out of her malfunctioning gauntlets and into Hank's lab. The lights were beginning to dim and the monitors began to flicker as Noriko continued to absorb the electricity around her.

"DavidhurrybeforeIexplodeandkillyouandMeg!" Noriko said as she started to panic.

"You'll be ok Nori, we're not leaving you." Megan said as David and Hank attached the electrodes to her arms and temples.

"Feel better?" David asked as he switched on the machine and Noriko's excess energy was drained away. He really felt terrible for her, his powers were a blessing, but hers were a curse and she had to live with the constant fear she'd hurt someone she loved.

"Yeah…thanks…" Noriko said as she blushed. She was embarrassed and frightened, but she was safe now and she hadn't hurt any of her friends.

"She should be fine now David." Hank said as he gently patted Noriko on the shoulder. "If you'll excuse me, I need to check on Xian and Laura." He said. He was worried the momentary power drain might have affected their healing pods.

"This is a mess Nori….what happened?" Forge said as he removed the armored housing and examined the damaged gauntlet.

"I think it must have happened when you punched Mike yesterday." Megan said as she tried to comfort her friend.

"Did you leave a dent in his skull?" Forge asked as he began to repair the capacitors and regulators.

"I don't think I even hurt him, it was like punching a brick wall." She said, looking at the bruising on her knuckles.

"I know you're disappointed in him…but right now he feels like no one understands and nobody cares. I know what that's like; I was even worse when I came home." Forge admitted. "I was so caught up in my own guilt and pain that I didn't care about anything or anyone for a long time." He told her. "Mikes better than that Nori, he still cares about helping people even though he's so lost and broken…..and he really cares about **_you_**, so please give him another chance." He said, remembering how Mike had come to check on her their first day at the institute.

"I will." Noriko said quietly. She was really worried about him as well as Tabitha and Rahne; she understood how dangerous being a hero was now and she was worried they might not come home. She ran her fingers through her short blue hair as she thought about how kind they'd all been to her and she was angry that they had to keep risking their lives for a world that didn't appreciate them.

"Good…some people won't." He told her.

"Yeah, we like to whine about how mean people are to mutants, but then we treat other people like shit the first chance we get." Noriko sighed. "We're just as bad as everybody else."

"Here, now try to take it easy…these are just temporary." Forge said as he finished his repairs and returned her gauntlets.

"Thanks Forge." Noriko said as she strapped them back on. "Do you think you could make the next ones a little lighter and stronger?" She asked. "I feel like I've got two bricks tied to my arms." She said. Her arms and shoulders were already really sore and she was in good shape.

"I know I promised you some new regulators, but do you think you could put up with those a little while longer?" Forge asked. "I really need to get back to work on Xian's leg." He explained. Noriko was really disappointed, but she knew that Xian's leg was more important.

"Ok…I know her leg is more important." She sighed as Megan put her arm around her. Noriko wasn't one to whine and complain, but Megan knew how much trouble her friend was having and she wished she could do something to help her. Megan enjoyed her powers; it was wonderful to be able to fly and she was sad that people like Noriko, Santo and Victor had so many problems with their powers.

* * *

**Trask Industries Main Weapons Development Facility**

**White Plains New York**

_'Please….please God no more!'_ Larry pleaded as his eyes rolled back in his head and he began to bleed from the nose. This was the worst pain he'd ever felt in his life; he felt like his brain was going to explode and he couldn't hold out against Wrath any longer, he was relentless.

_'This is hell!'_ He screamed.

_'I'll show you hell!'_ Wrath yelled. Larry suddenly found himself in the burning ruins of Hammer Bay, surrounded by death and destruction. He sank to his knees, choking on stench of burned flesh and toxic black smoke from the innumerable fires raging around him. There were burned, mangled corpses everywhere he looked and he tried to shut his eyes against the horror, but Wrath seized him by his hair and dragged him to his feet.

_'Open your eyes you son of a bitch!'_ He roared. _'I've had to live with this nightmare everyday for three years because of you!'_ He yelled. _'Sixteen million dead because of you!'_

"N….Nooooo…" Larry groaned

"Stop fightin' and I'll make th' pain go away." Wrath hissed as Larry began sobbing uncontrollably.

"He's got a hidden base in the mountains…" Larry cried as Wrath tore through his thoughts searching for the children.

"You sick bastard…you still let him do it." Wrath said as he dropped him in disgust.

"Wait! You said you'd make the pain stop!" Larry sobbed as the trauma of Wrath's experience on Genosha completely overwhelmed him.

"I lied." Wrath said. "Yer're done pretendin' you had nothin' t' do with it…you have to live with this nightmare everyday fer th' rest of yer life."

_"Wrath! Hurry! Hill and Iron Man are headed your way!"_ Cypher said as his avatar appeared in the lower left corner of Wrath's HUD_. "Oh my God, what did you do?!"_ He exclaimed as he saw Larry. He looked like he was dying and he couldn't believe Wrath had gone _that_ far.

_"It's nothin' some BC powder won't fix."_ Wrath said sarcastically. He hadn't done any physical harm to Larry, but after what he'd just seen he certainly wanted to.

_"They've got a base in th' Adirondacks, sendin' coordinates now."_ He said as he sent the map coordinates via his uplink to the jet.

_"Get outta there Wrath!"_ Cannonball ordered as the alarms began to sound.

_"Cypher stand by, I've got a plan!"_ Wrath said as Iron Man smashed down the conference room doors and charged in ahead of Commander Hill and several SHIELD agents. Wrath grabbed Larry as a human shield and backed up toward the windows overlooking the complex.

"All units! We have a metamorph in the third floor conference room! It's taken my form! Be on alert for additional mutants!" Cmdr. Hill barked into her radio. "Let Trask go and drop your weapons!" She ordered as she aimed her pistol at Wrath.

"I don't have any weapons." Wrath said as he dragged Larry closer to the windows.

"You really expect us to believe you came in here unarmed?!" Iron Man asked incredulously.

"I'm not here to fight." Wrath told him.

"It's pretty obvious you're here for the same reason we are…to shut down the Nimrod Project." Iron Man told him. "Let's be reasonable about this…if you stand down and cooperate with us, we'll shut Trask down and you'll get a reduced sentence." He said as he tried to figure out what was going on. He couldn't get any biometric readings at all on their mystery guest; his scans were being blocked by some extremely advanced technology. They thought they were dealing with Exodus and The New Brotherhood, but whoever this was, they weren't setting off the mutant detectors or triggering the sentinels' battle mode.

"I'll cooperate, but only if you promise to give my team amnesty…you can make an example of me if you want too, but let them go…they're not your enemies." Wrath offered.

"We're not making deals with terrorists." Cmdr. Hill said sternly.

"But you'll make 'em with th' devil, won't you commander?" Wrath asked as he tightened his grip on Larry's throat. "Th' sentinels wiped out humanity once…you really think they won't try it again?" He asked.

"Enough!" Cmdr. Hill yelled. "Let Trask go and get on the ground. It's over, you've lost." She said as she and her troops began to move towards him.

"Oh really?" Wrath asked as he reached down and crushed Larry's wristwatch with his super strength, instantly setting off the facility's mutant detectors and activating the capture protocols of several nearby sentinels. Larry panicked; he'd worn that inhibitor since he was fifteen to suppress his powers and no one had ever suspected he might be a mutant. Now he felt the same terror as the people of Genosha felt and Wrath took a certain satisfaction in the irony.

"What the hell?!" Cmdr Hill exclaimed in utter disbelief as Wrath shoved Larry toward her and a towering Mark II sentinel smashed through the windows and seized him.

"Mutant detected! Capture protocol initiated!" The sentinel said in its cold robotic voice.

"Help me!" Larry screamed in terror.

"Stark! Stop that thing!" Cmdr Hill ordered as she and her men opened fire on the robot. Iron Man was forced to attack the sentinel to save Larry as Wrath changed back to his SHIELD agent disguise and leaped through the broken windows to the ground thirty feet below as the facility erupted into chaos.

_"Cypher! I could use some help!"_ He yelled as he got to his feet and ran for his life as the SHIELD agents opened fire on him. Cypher seized control of the Mark I unit's targeting systems and ordered them to capture the SHIELD agents as he simultaneously set off the bases security system, making it appear the base was under attack by "mutant terrorists".

_"Crawler, you seein' this?"_ Wrath asked as he knocked two SHIELD agents out of his way. He was pulling his punches, but those guys would be in the infirmary for at least a week and he felt terrible. Unfortunately, he didn't see that he had any choice, he knew the layout of Trask's base and the others would need his help. His guilty conscience was the least of his worries; he sensed Black Widow and Hawkeye blocking his escape route with his telepathy and he knew he wasn't going to be able to get away without a fight.

_"Yeah."_ Night Crawler answered as he watched the live feed from Wrath's nano-camera at the PACRAT's comm. station.

_"You close enough to teleport!?"_ He asked.

_"Almost!"_ Night Crawler answered as the PACRAT sped toward the facility. Wrath plowed through a squad of SHIELD agents as they opened fire on him, knocking them all out cold with a flurry of kicks and punches. He took them out quickly, but the momentary distraction was enough for Hawkeye and Black Widow to get the drop on him.

"Back off!" Wrath yelled as Hawkeye took aim and Black Widow jumped down behind him. "I didn't come here to fight Avengers!"

"Then you shouldn't have come." Black Widow said as she eyed the fake agent warily. He was obviously physically superior to both of them and their only option was to try to slow him down long enough for Iron Man to catch up and take him down.

"Kids are dying! I don't have time fer this!" Wrath said bitterly. This was the last thing he wanted; he'd fought by their side during the war and he'd even been captured saving them from the infinites. He had a duty to save those children, but Natasha and Clint weren't his enemies and for a fraction of a second he considered giving up.

"Stand down…let's talk about it." Hawkeye said.

"Get outta my way! I don't wanna fight you!" Wrath yelled. He didn't want to use his psychic powers on them, but they weren't leaving any alternative. He was reading their minds and he knew they had no intention of backing down or talking about it.

_"Take him out now! He's a telepath!"_ Iron Man yelled over the radio was he flew toward them.

"Damn it!" Wrath yelled as Hawkeye shot a stun arrow at him. He snatched it out of the air as he whirled and hurled it into Black Widow, dodging the widow bites she fired at him. Black Widow screamed and dropped to her knees in pain as Wrath knocked Hawkeye off his feet with a massive psi blast. Wrath was turning to run when Iron Man swooped in and blasted him, sending him crashing into the side of a shipping container. He'd just taken out two veteran Avengers and Iron Man wasn't taking any chances so he took him down hard.

"That was just a warning shot, the next one's going to hurt." He said ominously as he landed next to Hawkeye. He was relieved to see that Hawkeye was only stunned and even though Black Widow was unconscious, her vitals were stable.

"Warning shot my ass…" Wrath gasped as he struggled to his feet. His armor had saved him once again, but he was wounded, bleeding and trapped. He was no match for Iron Man one on one; his armor was just too powerful.

"You just don't know when to quit do you?" Iron Man asked incredulously as he took aim at him again. He should be half dead after a shot like that and he was shocked to see him back on his feet so quickly.

"No…I just don't know how." Wrath said as he gritted his teeth and blocked out the pain. He'd never quit in his life and he wasn't about to abandon his team and those kids now.

_"Wrath! Smokescreen!"_Night Crawler yelled into the radio as he watched the scene unfold from his post at the PACRAT's comm. station. He had a direct feed from Wrath's nano-camera and he was within teleportation range. Wrath quickly grabbed a smoke grenade from his belt and hurled it to the ground at his feet, blanketing the whole area in thick white smoke. Night Crawler teleported into the smoke cloud; seized Wrath and vanished in a foul smelling cloud of sulfur and brimstone before Iron Man could react.

"Damn!" Iron Man cursed as the smoke cleared.

"What happened?" Black Widow asked as Hawkeye helped her to her feet.

"He was working with a teleporter." Iron Man said in a disgusted tone.

"Are you two hurt?" He asked after a moment.

"Only our pride…" Hawkeye said.

* * *

**Aboard the PACRAT**

"Nice save Kurt….I owe you." Mike said as he and Kurt teleported into the cargo hold of the PACRAT as it streaked across the sky over Trask Industries.

"You buy the beer tonight." Kurt told him.

_"Y'all alive back there?!"_ Sam yelled over the radio.

_"I've got him, we're safe."_ Kurt replied.

_"Get up here and fly this thing, I need to talk to Mike."_ Sam said as Kurt teleported to the cockpit to take over.

"Mike yui're hurt!" Rahne exclaimed as she and Dr. Reye's rushed into the hold. Iron Man's blast had severely damaged his armor and he was in rough shape.

"It looks worse than it is Rahne." He said, trying to reassure her.

"Och…yui're a mess." Rahne said as she unbuckled his armor and peeled back his body suit. The suit had already repaired itself, but Mike's healing factor would take much longer and she needed to get to work right away.

"How is he doc?" Sam asked as he and Theresa came to Mike's side. The repulsor blast itself was bad enough, but it had shredded his armor and left shrapnel in the wound as well. Sam knew Mike was tough, but he was still really worried about him.

"He'll be ok Sam." Dr. Reyes said as she and Rahne continued to treat Mike's injuries. She'd treated him many times during the war and she knew how tough he was and how much he could take.

"I can still fight." Mike said as he looked up at Sam.

"That's up to Dr. Reyes." Sam said emphatically. He needed Mike for the second phase of the mission, but he wasn't about to send him unless she cleared him. Cable would tell him that they were soldiers and their life was one of sacrifice, but Sam wasn't like him and he'd never treat any of his teammates as weapons instead of people.

"Get me back out there Doc…please; I've got to get those kids outta that hell hole." Mike begged.

Mike, ye cannae keep pushin' yuirself like this!" Rahne said as she finished cleaning his wound and picking out the shrapnel. She admired his bravery and selflessness, but his scars and battered armor showed just had vulnerable he was. It was horrible to see people she cared for hurt; she'd never get used to it and she couldn't help crying.

"I'm sorry Rahne…but I have to go…I saw what he's plannin' to do to those kids." Mike said as she began stitching him up.

"Once we get him stitched up, I can give him another local anesthetic and then shoot him full of stimulants…it'll give him back his edge." Dr. Reyes said. She'd done this for him before during the war, but she still felt dirty and she'd promised herself she'd never do anything like this again.

'_Don't be mad at Doc.'_ Mike said telepathically as Dr. Reyes gave him the injections. _'She hates herself for doing this.'_He said as Rahne sighed and nodded. She couldn't be angry with either of them, but she hated that they had to resort to this and she wondered if they'd always be at war.

"I know Mike…I'm nae mad…I'm proud of ye." She said quietly as she helped Mike to sit up.

"I'll leave him with you Rahne." Dr. Reyes said as Rahne thanked her and she headed back to finish prepping her equipment.

"What th' hell happened down there?" Sam asked as Rahne started to wrap him in bandages to help protect his injuries.

"That son of bitch was a mutant." Mike said as Sam and Theresa looked at him in utter disbelief. "He had an inhibitor in his watch….th' damn thing was even givin' off a false biometric readin' to fool th' sentinels." He explained. "When they cornered me, I broke his inhibitor and th' sentinels went after him…then I ran." He told them.

"That was good thinking." Theresa said. She was thankful Mike had made it back and that he'd been able to avoid a serious fight with the Avengers. She had mixed feelings about them; she didn't think they were bad people, but it was hard for her to believe that they cared about mutants the same way they cared about baseline humans.

"You two nearly done playing doctor?" Logan asked as he and Scott joined them. Rahne shifted forms and growled as she glared at Logan; she was still furious with him for attacking Mike the day before and despite their friendship she felt like punching him.

"Don't make me pull this plane over." Sam said bluntly.

"Did you get anything else out of him?" Theresa asked as Rahne finished bandaging Mike's wounds.

"Yeah, I got a pretty good idea of the base's layout." He said as Rahne helped him to his feet. "This is gonna have to be quick and dirty." He added.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**Main Medical Bay – Intensive Care Unit**

Xian looked down at what was left of her leg and began to cry again; her life was hard enough already and now she felt completely overwhelmed. She didn't know how she was going to provide for her family now that she'd lost her leg. It was bad enough they'd been exposed as mutants, but now she couldn't work and she was going to lose her job and her apartment. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her little brother and sister and she wept bitterly. She was crying so hard she didn't even hear Sharon, Ororo and Forge knock at her door and she was embarrassed when she looked up and saw them at her bedside.

"I'm sorry…" She sniffed as she dried her eyes.

"For what?" Sharon asked as she sat down at her bedside. "It's ok to cry about what happened Shan…we're here to help." She said as Ororo handed her a box of tissues.

"I know this seems like the end of the world Shan, but you're going to overcome this just like I did." Forge told her as he pulled up his pants leg to show her his prosthetic leg. "I'm building you a new leg and I'm here to talk if you need too…you don't have to face this alone." He said as he sat down beside her bed.

"It's not me I'm worried about." Xian sniffed as she dried her eyes. "How am I going to take care of Nga and Leong now?" She choked out. "I was barely making ends meet before…."

"That's actually what Ms. Munro came to talk to you about." Sharon said as Xian looked up at Ororo. Xian was struck by how beautiful she was; she was tall with white hair and blue eyes that contrasted sharply with her dark skin.

"My name is Ororo Munro; I'm the headmistress here at the Xavier Institute." Ororo said, introducing herself. "Please don't be concerned for your siblings; they're being looked after by our staff…who have _already_ become rather attached to them." She said reassuringly. "I insist that all of you stay here with us while you recover Ms. Mahn….but I'm hoping you'll consider making the Institute your home from now on." She said.

"But….I'm a librarian….not a superhero." Xian said, a little confused by Ororo's offer.

"The Institute was always intended to be a school; a safe place for mutants to grow up and learn to use their powers to benefit **_all_** of humanity." Ororo explained. "That dream is about to become a reality…we're about to go public. Were going to have nearly three hundred students the first semester and hopefully more the next." She said. "I don't need another superhero Xian…I'm not training the next generation of X-Men. I need a good librarian and I need someone to help me keep everything…and everyone organized." Ororo explained. Rahne and Kitty were doing the best they could, but they both had too many other duties as well as missions. Xian's education and experience made her the perfect assistant for Ororo and she hoped she'd accept the offer.

"Can you promise me that Nga and Leong will be safe here?" Xian asked as she dried her eyes

"I promise you I'll fight to my last breath to protect these children and so will every member of X-Force and the X-Men." Ororo promised her. Xian knew Ororo meant every word of it and that she'd finally found a safe place to raise her brother and sister.

"Does it make a difference if I'm a lesbian?" She asked quietly.

"No." Ororo told her. "One of our instructors is gay and so are several of the students." She added. "We don't always agree, but we've learned to be fairly respectful of each others differences." Ororo reassured her.

"I guess this is home then." Xian said gratefully.

"I'll make the necessary arrangements." Ororo said as she excused herself. She had a lot of work to do, arranging to move Xian and her siblings from Chicago and make room for them on campus. She was glad Xian had accepted her offer; she was impressed by her character and she could offer a different perspective since she wasn't a part of the "super hero" community.

"So…..how'd you lose your leg?" Xian asked as Forge examined her cybernetic interface. She was beginning to feel better, but she was still embarrassed to be seen like this, so it made her feel a little better that he knew what she was experiencing.

"Same way you did…fighting Hodge." Forge answered as he pulled the covers back up for her. "The arm too." He added, rolling up his sleeve to show her his right forearm. "It's going to be hard at first Shan…but I'll help you through this." He said as he sat down beside her bed to talk with her.

* * *

**Trask Industries Main Weapons Development Facility**

**White Plains New York**

"What happened out there Stark?" Commander Hill asked Iron Man as the medics examined Hawkeye and Black Widow. Neither of them had been seriously injured but they were both a little shaken up after being stunned and psi-blasted.

"He got away Hill; he was working with a teleporter." Iron Man told her.

"Damn." She cursed. "He was working with Cypher too…we've been hacked again." She fumed.

"Are we sure that was a he?" Black Widow asked.

"We can't really be _sure_ of anything." Iron Man said. "Whoever that was had access to some seriously advanced hard light technology…way ahead of anything I've ever seen before." He told them. "I couldn't get any biometric data, my sensors could detect the holographic field, but they couldn't penetrate it." He added.

"The Brotherhood doesn't have tech that advanced and whoever that was didn't set off the mutant detectors…we may not be dealing with mutants after all." Cmdr. Hill said.

"They weren't terrorists either." Hawkeye said. "Otherwise, we'd be dead now and so would he." He said pointing to Larry Trask. The Brotherhood would have killed Trask as some kind of mutant race traitor and they certainly would have killed the rest of them as well.

"He gonna make it?" Cmdr. Hill asked as the medic finished examining Larry Trask. He had three broken ribs from being grabbed by his sentinel and he was traumatized from his psychic interrogation, but he would soon make a full recovery.

"His injuries aren't serious." The medic informed her.

"I feel like I'm dying…" Larry groaned as he buried his face in his hands. He'd never been so scared in his life and his heart was still pounding. He was nauseous from the pain of the interrogation and he was terrified now that he was exposed as a mutant.

"Stop whining and start talking!" Cmdr. Hill snapped. "What did that guy take from your mind?! What are you hiding?!" She yelled.

"That guy said "kids are dying" …what did he mean?! What's your father doing?!" Black Widow yelled.

"I don't know…" Larry gasped. He was hoping that the bases defenses and the sentinels would be enough to stop X-Force and that SHIELD would never learn the true extent of his father's secret operations. There might still be a way for him to avoid a lengthy prison sentence if he and his lawyers could pin all the blame on his father.

"You're in enough trouble for illegal weapons manufacturing! If you're complicit in some kind of human experimentation then you'll never see the light of day again!" Cmdr. Hill hissed. Larry was pale and shaking with fear; his life was completely destroyed and he honestly wished Wrath had killed him rather than leave him alive to face the consequences.

"I don't know…" He choked out.

"Did you know that baseline humans can develop psychic powers if given the proper training?" Black Widow asked as she knelt down in front of him, getting right in his face. "SHIELD has a whole division of them." She said menacingly.

"There's a secret facility in the Adirondacks!" Larry blurted out. He knew there was no way out and he was desperate to avoid another psychic interrogation. "Stephen Lang set up a sentinel hub there during the war." He admitted.

"Find out everything you can about that base, then take him back to HQ and put him under 24 hour guard!" Cmdr. Hill snapped as her men escorted Larry away. _"Round up the rest of the Avenger's Alpha Team and have them meet us on the helicarrier."_She barked into the radio. _"What's the ETA on the Pericles?"_She asked.

_"They're just getting underway….thirty minutes ma'am."_ Her lieutenant answered.

"Damn." She cursed. They'd just been blindsided by an unknown group with technology so advanced even Tony Stark was impressed and she wasn't about to go after them, or the sentinels without a helicarrier and a whole division's worth of firepower.

* * *

**Aboard the PACRAT**

**En Route to Trask Industries Black Site**

"They've got th' kids down here in th' sub-levels." Mike said as he finished diagramming the base and the computer projected a 3-D model for them.

"You got a plan for getting in there?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, but I'll need Night Crawler." Mike said.

"He can't teleport unless he can see where he's goin'." Sam reminded him.

"I'm gonna mind link th' team with one of the kids and use their eyes to see where we're goin'." Mike explained. Sam was impressed, but then this was why he'd recruited Mike in the first place and he was confident his team would bring the hostages home unharmed.

"How many sentinels do ye think are in there?" Theresa asked.

"Hard to say….most of 'em are th' ten foot Mark I models, but you can be sure they've got some fifty foot Mark II models on patrol too." Mike said. "I'm guessing maybe twenty or thirty first generation Nimrod models….we're talkin' front line combat units, not those prototypes we took down yesterday." He added.

"This looks fun." Tabitha said sarcastically as she and the others walked in and sat down.

"What's the matter Tabitha, you scared?" Monet scoffed. She'd wiped out hundreds of sentinels in the danger room and she'd demolish these as well. She was invulnerable with superhuman strength, speed, stamina and reflexes and she wasn't afraid to take on anyone or anything because of it. She was sick of hearing about X-Force's war record and she was eager to prove herself as an X-Man by destroying the sentinel threat.

"Could you be more of a noob?" Tabitha asked as she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm scared of sentinels and if you'd ever been out of the Danger Room, you would be too." She told her.

"You better take this seriously Monet!" Scott said angrily. "You might be invulnerable, but your teammates aren't and it's your job to keep them safe on this mission!" He told her.

"You might_think_ you're invulnerable, but I'm betting you just haven't been hit hard enough yet." Tabitha added.

"Save it fer the sentinels." Theresa said curtly.

"A'ight, here's th' plan." Sam said as he addressed the group. "Doc, you stay behind and protect th' PACRAT and be ready fer th' victims." He said to Dr. Reyes. "Mike, you take Logan, Rahne and Kurt to get those kids out." He said, pointing to the sub-level where the kids were being held.

"Are you two going to be able to work together after yesterday?" Scott interrupted.

"You're a punk Summers." Logan said as Mike gave Scott a disdainful look and flipped him off.

"Ok…Terry, you'll be takin' Tabby, Jimmy and Monet along with Cypher's sentinels and wreckin' th' main production facility." Sam ordered. "Cable and his X-Force will be there to back ya'll up." He said. "While ya'll are takin' out th' factory, Scott and Ah are goin' in to grab Trask, shut down th' sentinels and blow th' control center."

"For the record I think I should be leading the assault team." Scott said indignantly.

"For the record nobody gives a damn what you think." James said angrily.

"Like it or not Warpath, I'm a better leader than Siryn." Scott said. "I've got more experience and Wrath is hurt…she should take his place."

"Mike's been cleared by Dr. Reyes and you've never fought th' Nimrods before." Sam said. "Terry has more experience in this situation…try not to take it personally."

"I'm not taking orders from that drunk." Monet said bluntly. "She'll lead us into a trap again."

"Terry's not a drunk you arrogant bitch!" James yelled.

"You weren't there Monet; you don't know what you're talking about!" Tabitha snapped.

"It was Cable who sent us on tha' mission and Terry's th' only reason any of us made it out of there alive!" Rahne said angrily.

"You can follow orders or you can stay on th' damn plane!" Mike yelled.

"I'd rather stay on the damn plane than follow her!" Monet shot back.

"Stop it!" Theresa yelled. "We don't have time fer this!"

"I don't blame anyone here fer having their doubts about me after wha' happened." Theresa said. "Fer a long time I doubted myself, but I know how to fight these things and I know how to win." She said. "This is more important than X-Men or X-Force. We're the only hope those kids have…we have to trust each other."

"Monet! You'll take orders from Terry or you can find yourself another team!" Scott said sternly.

"I'll bring everyone home Scott." Theresa told him.

"I know Terry…I trust you." Scott said.

"Listen guys, I know we've had our differences, but Terry's right, this is bigger than the X-Men or X-Force." Sam said. "We're not just fightin' fer th' institute, or fer mutants…we're fightin' fer every single life on this planet. Nimrod is the most dangerous enemy we've ever faced and it'll burn th' world like it burned Genosha if we don't stop it here." Sam said ominously. "Ever since Trask created those things, annihilation has been inevitable, but today we have a chance to stop Nimrod before it's ever built and prevent th' end of th' world and th' death of everyone we love…today we have a chance to write our own future…th' future we've **all **been fightin' for, th' future Jean died for."

"You heard the man, let's get moving!" Logan said as the teams headed out to make their last minute preparations. They had to move fast to catch Trask off guard and they all knew it wouldn't be long before the Avengers regrouped and came after them.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**-The Kitchen-**

Danielle sighed as sat at the kitchen table staring blankly at the steaming cup of coffee in front of her. She'd hardly slept at all the night before; she'd been too worried about Josh. Now that he was going to make a full recovery, all she could do was worry about her friends on the mission. She knew there was a very real possibility that they might not come home and she hated that her last words to them were angry and hateful. She felt terrible about the way she'd acted; her talk with Ororo the day before had made her realize how selfish she was being. She was ashamed that she'd been so caught up in her own pain that she hadn't really considered what Rahne and the others had been through during the war.

"How's Josh?" Ororo asked as she walked in and poured herself a cup of coffee as well. She'd already talked to Hank, but she was still concerned about him.

"He's a lot better now that he's had something to eat." Danielle answered.

"Thank the goddess." Storm said, visibly relieved. "You look exhausted Danielle…why don't you rest today while I look after the students for you." She said after a moment.

"Thanks…I don't think I could concentrate anyway, I'm really worried about Rahne and the others." Danielle admitted.

"I'm worried too, but that's not going to help them and it's only going to upset the children even more than they already are." Ororo said. "I'll go talk to them now, I'm sure they're having a hard time dealing with all of this." She said.

"Why don't you take Xian her breakfast; she must be starving." Marilyn said to Danielle as Ororo left to check on the students. Danielle nodded as she took the tray and headed for the elevator. She needed something to take her mind off worrying about her friends and she knew how bad Xian must be feeling right now. Helping Xian made her feel a little better and they could both use a friend now.

* * *

**Med-Bay**

"Don't cry." Xian said as she held her little sister. "I told you, everything's going to be fine now." She said, trying to comfort her siblings. "I'll be walking again before you know it and I've already got a new job; we have a new place to live and you're going to have a lot of new friends when school starts." She told them.

"Ok…" Nga sniffed as she wiped her eyes. She did feel a little better, but she was still scared and worried about her sister. Leong felt the same way, but Xian had always taken care of them and if she said things would be fine then he knew they would be.

"Looks like Dani's here with your breakfast." Kitty said as Danielle walked in carrying Xian's tray.

"You two go with Ms. Pryde and Ms. Guthrie and you better not let me hear about you misbehaving." Xian told them. "I'll see you again at lunch time…I love you both." She said as she hugged them goodbye. The twins felt better now they they'd seen Xian and they were happy that they were going to be able to live at the institute rather than the bad neighborhood where they were living in Chicago.

"C'mon ya'll, I'll take ya t' town and getcha some new clothes." Paige said as she and Kitty left with the twins.

"Hey Shan, I brought you something to eat." Danielle said.

"This looks great…thank you." Xian said.

"Am I saying your name right?" Danielle asked.

"Close enough." Xian said.

"You're Catholic?" Danielle asked as Xian finished praying and started to eat her breakfast.

"Yeah…we're not all Buddhist." She answered.

"You better hurry up and get well; Kitty and Paige will spoil your brother and sister." Danielle said after a moment.

"I'm trying…it sounds like I've got a lot of work to do when I get out of here." Xian said as she ate her breakfast. She wasn't too worried about Nga and Leong getting spoiled; after the hard life they'd had, they didn't take anything for granted.

"Yeah, welcome to mutant school, hope you survive the experience." Danielle told her.

"Thanks, are you a teacher or one of the superheroes?" Xian asked.

"I teach American History and I'm a mentor for one of our response teams in training." Danielle told her.

"Wait…Ms. Munro said you guys weren't training kids to be X-Men anymore." Xian said.

"We teach the kids to control their powers and we teach self-defense, not combat." Danielle explained. "The response teams are meant to staff the X-Corp. offices…they use their powers to help with disasters or even everyday emergencies." She explained.

"So they're like firefighters instead of Marines?" Xian asked.

"Exactly." Danielle said. "The X-Corp. office in Los Angeles ran one of the biggest refugee centers during the war and they're still helping people who were displaced." She told her. "With all the ill will toward mutants after Apocalypse…we need to show the world what good mutants can accomplish…that was always Professor Xavier's goal." She explained. Xian's mind was put at ease; if her brother and sister grew up and wanted to be superheroes, she wouldn't try to stop them, but she didn't want them being indoctrinated after what she'd just endured.

"Thanks Danielle, I feel better now and it was nice of you to bring me breakfast." Xian said.

"Xian, whatever I can do to help you and your family I will." Danielle told her. "I'll come see you again this afternoon and I'll help you get settled once you get out of here." She said as she took Xian's tray and excused herself. Xian was grateful for Danielle's kindness and she seemed genuinely concerned for her and her family. She felt a lot better now that she'd made a friend and she was looking forward to seeing Danielle again.

* * *

**The Classroom**

"You shut up about Laura and X-Force!" Mark yelled at Julian.

"Ms. Sinclair's not a murderer!" Megan yelled. "You take that back!" She screamed at him.

"Mark don't! He's not worth it!" Callie pleaded as she tried to hold him back from fighting Julian.

"You better listen to your girlfriend before I embarrass you in front of her!" Julian sneered.

"You better shut up before I embarrass **you**!" Noriko yelled as she stood up.

"Back off man! You're trippin'!" Santo said as he dragged Julian away from the confrontation and shoved him back into his seat. He thought his friend had gone too far this time and he wasn't going to let him fight with Mark or Noriko.

"What's going on in here?!" Ororo exclaimed as she threw open the door. "We don't solve disagreements with violence! Didn't any of you learn anything yesterday?!" She asked.

"I did Ms. Munro!" Santo said proudly.

"Really Santo?" Ororo asked incredulously.

"Yeah! I learned don't fuck with Mike when he's been drinking!" He said as the other kids began laughing.

"Your language is atrocious, see me after class." She told him. She wasn't _really_ mad at him since he'd managed to defuse the situation, but he knew better than to talk like that in front of the younger students.

"Awww…crap…" Santo muttered.

"Now…why are you fighting?" She asked as everyone took a seat. Santo, Mark, Julian and Callie all tried to answer at once, but Ororo shushed them and turned to Megan for her answer.

"Callie and Mark we're telling us how X-Force saved them, but Julian called them murderers and everyone started yelling." She told her. She was really disgusted with Julian; Rahne wasn't a murderer and she wanted to punch him for saying that about her mentor.

"You guys don't get it; we have to be better than they are." Julian said.

"No, **you** don't get it!" Mark said. "X-Force **_is_** better than they are! They saved us all from getting slaughtered, but you're butt hurt because some terrorists got killed!" He said. "Self-defense isn't murder." He told him. "Neither is using deadly force to defend the innocent."

"The X-Men are _real_ heroes and they don't kill!" Julian told them.

"Regrettably, we're not as perfect as you think we are Julian." Ororo said as everyone became quiet. "The question of when…or if we're justified in using deadly force is a question that the X-Men…and most other heroes have struggled with since we put on our costumes." She told them. "Even though you're not being trained as "superheroes," this is a conversation we need to have…and this seems as good a time as any." She said. It was her personal belief that there were times when deadly force was justified, but the kids had to be free to make up their own mind and she was only going to facilitate their discussion.

* * *

**Trask Industries Black Site**

**Adirondack Mountains**

"I found 'em." Wrath said as he reached out with his telepathic powers and locked onto one of the captives deep within the mountain. The poor girl was in horrible pain and absolutely terrified, but he managed to get through to her and she began to calm down. Her name was Karima Shapandar, the student from India who'd been reported missing from Empire State University two weeks earlier.

_'Listen Karima…I know you're scared and hurt, but you have to trust me. I'm going to get you out of there, but I need to use your eyes.'_He said as he read her panicked thoughts. He realized something was horribly wrong as he took control of her body; she felt unnatural and he couldn't explain it.

_'Make him stop hurting me…'_ She cried.

_'I see him; hold on just a little longer.'_ Wrath said as he used her eyes to look around the room at the mad doctor, his guards and the sentinels. _'Wolverine, you and Night Crawler take the guards, Wolfsbane and I have the sentinels and the mad doctor.'_He said as he linked the team's minds to Karima's. The others could all feel her pain and terror and it filled them with the grim resolve to do whatever was necessary to free her.

_"Cannonball…we're ready."_ Wrath said darkly.

_"Stand by, we're waitin' on Cypher."_ Cannonball answered.

_"Everybody relax, I'm here."_ Cypher said smugly as Boomer hacked in and uploaded his program.

_"Good."_ Cannonball said. _"Now all we need is Cable…"_

_"Wait…something's not right here."_ Cypher said as he hacked the sentinel's programming. _"There's some kind of weird code in the system…it looks like a virus or…"_

_"Is this going to be a problem?"_ Cyclops interrupted. They were fully committed and there was no turning back at this point; they couldn't afford to have a problem now.

_"No, I can handle it."_ Cypher said.

_"Where the hell is Cable?"_ Theresa asked angrily. _"He's a time traveler…how can he be late?"_

_"I don't know, but I think Dr. Frankenstein's about to go to work again and I'm _**_not _**_gonna sit here while he carves this kid up."_ Wrath hissed.

_"Screw Cable, we need to go in now!"_ Wolverine growled.

_"Damn it!"_ Cannonball cursed as he weighed his options. He couldn't just sit there and let that madman hurt that girl anymore, but he was risking everyone on the assault teams lives by sending them in without back up.

"Sometimes you just gotta go headfirst without a chute." Boomer said as she turned to him. Warpath nodded in agreement and Cannonball knew what he had to do.

_"Ok, we're goin' in!"_ He ordered as Cypher set the sentinels to attack each other and sabotaged the security system. All hell broke loose as the sentinels turned on each other and Siryn's team charged into battle.

* * *

**Cybernetics Lab**

"Take 'em down!" Wrath yelled as Night Crawler teleported the team into the cybernetics lab and he opened fire on the sentinels. The armor piercing rounds from his rifle tore the evil robots apart at such close range and Wolfsbane savagely attacked the mad doctor, slamming her fist into his face and knocking him out cold. Wolverine roared in anger as he tore thorough the guard's body armor, slicing through muscle and bone with ease as he gutted him. Another guard tried to hit him with a stun baton, but Wolverine sliced off his arm and impaled him through the heart. The remaining guards opened fire, but he was on them in an instant, decapitating one and splattering the walls with blood as he ripped the last one to pieces.

"Please don't kill me!" The guard captain begged as Night Crawler sliced his rifle in half with his sword and held him a blade point.

"Where are the kids!?" Night Crawler yelled as he forced him to his knees.

"Back there….in the holding cells…" The Captain choked out. Night Crawler smashed him over the head with the pommel of his sword, knocking him out cold and snatched the keys off his belt with his tail.

"I've got the kids!" He said as he rushed to the holding cells.

"Ye evil bastard! Ye deserve tae burn fer wha' ye've done here!" Wolfsbane snarled as she tied up the mad doctor. "But tha's nae up tae me." She said as she stood up.

"Damned sadist." Wrath cursed.

"You know him?" Wolverine asked.

"Yeah, that's Dr. Animus…proof that hell is full and th' damned walk th' earth." Wrath answered. "SHIELD's been after him fer a while now."

"He's been busy." Wolverine said darkly as he looked around at the tanks holding the bodies of the dead mutants he'd killed in his cruel experiments.

"Cypher! Download everything he's been workin' on!" Wrath ordered as he sat down at the main computer in the lab and began accessing his files. "Wolfsbane…see what you can do fer her." He said as she rushed to Karima's side. Karima had been removed from her tank and shackled to an examining table in the lab with a horrifying array of machines connected to her. Wolfsbane was familiar with advanced medical equipment from living with Moira and Beast, but she had no idea what half of these devices did and she was hesitant about disconnecting them.

"Yui're safe Karima, he cannae hurt ye now." Wolfsbane said as she did her best to comfort her.

"What's he done to me?" Karima sobbed as Wolfsbane gave Wrath a pained look. She could tell from her scent she wasn't human anymore; she smelled like a Reaver, like a cyborg. She was sick at the thought of what Karima must have gone through and she'd have given anything to have been able to save her from this nightmare.

"Hold on Karima, I'll have ya outta that thing in a minute." Wrath said as he examined Dr. Animus' records. He felt like he was going to throw up; Karima was the only one to survive the nightmarish procedure. She'd been transformed into a nano-machine/human hybrid and her whole body was now composed nanomorphic molecular tissue. He knew there was no way to reverse the procedure and he knew how dangerous she was, but her sentinel programming hadn't been activated yet and there was still hope for her.

_"What the hell are you doing?! She's one of them!"_ Cypher exclaimed as Wrath released the shackles and Wolfsbane began to disconnect Karima from the equipment.

"Not yet she's not!" Wrath yelled.

_"She could activate and kill all of you!"_ Cypher yelled. _"Leave her!"_

"You go to hell!" Wolverine snapped. "We're not giving up on her!"

"No…Please God no!" Karima cried as Wolfsbane wrapped her in Dr. Animus' lab coat. She was so traumatized even Wolverine was moved by her suffering and despite the danger they'd do whatever was necessary to save her.

_"Wrath…there's only one left…"_ Night Crawler said as he unlocked the last cell door and found a young teen cowering inside. He was about Wrath's height with green eyes and dirty blonde hair. He didn't seem to be hurt physically, but he was seriously traumatized from the horror of his ordeal.

"Night Crawler?" He asked as he looked up at him. "The X-Men finally came?"

"Yeah…we're here to take you home." Night Crawler said as he helped him to his feet. "What's your name?" He asked as he led him out of the cell.

"Eddie…" He answered, hardly believing he was actually going to walk out of this nightmare alive.

_"Night Crawler, grab that kid and get him to Doc, then come back fer th' rest of us_." Wrath ordered as Night Crawler teleported Eddie back to the PACRAT. The other victims had all been killed in Dr. Animus' cruel experiments, but at least they'd saved that boy before he'd been operated on and now Karima had a chance.

"I'm not even a person anymore…I'm a thing…" Karima sobbed. "He's right, you should leave me…"

"Yui're nae a thing Karima and yuir life is precious!" Wolfsbane said as she held her. "Yuir families been worried sick about ye! They love ye and they want ye back!" She told her.

"Wolfsbane, you and Night Crawler join up with Siryn's team when yer're done here." Wrath ordered. "I can't raise Cannonball on th' radio; me and Wolverine better head that way fer back up." He said. _"What th' hell is wrong with this system?! Cypher! What are you doin'?!"_ He asked.

"I don't like this…somethin' ain't right." Wolverine said.

"WHAT TH' HELL?!" Wrath exclaimed as the whole base went on lockdown and an unfamiliar code appeared on the screen.

* * *

**Main Assembly Area**

"Where the hell is Cable?!" M yelled as she dodged an energy blast from a sentinel and buried her fist into its chest, smashing it to pieces. She'd never seen so many of them and the Nimrod units were a lot stronger than anything she'd faced in the Danger Room simulations.

"What's the matter M, you scared?" Boomer said, mocking her earlier bravado.

"Shut up!" M yelled back at her as she plowed into another Nimrod unit and began pummeling it mercilessly. Truthfully, she was getting worried, the Nimrods were adapting and they were getting harder and harder to beat. They were also tearing through the Mark I units like they were cardboard and then she and the others would be in real trouble when they were done.

"M! Watch your back!" Warpath yelled as a Nimrod Sentinel opened fire, blasting her across the room and into the wall. Warpath cursed in disgust and ripped into a sentinel, tearing it to pieces as the security alarms wailed and more sentinels activated. These new sentinels were incredibly tough and even with the aid of the Cypher controlled Mark I sentinels, it was a fierce struggle.

"Told ya those things were hard as balls to beat!" Boomer teased as she unleashed a devastating blast of raw energy, melting a gaping hole through both of the sentinels. M was absolutely mortified that she'd just been saved by Boomer; she thought she was an uneducated redneck and she couldn't stand her.

"Get your head in the game M!" Warpath yelled. "Boomer can't keep babysitting you!"

"I don't need your help trailer trash!" M yelled at Boomer. "Stay out of my way!" She yelled as she launched herself at the sentinels in a screaming rage. She was determined to prove that she belonged on the X-Men and that she was better than X-Force, especially Boomer.

"You're welcome bitch!" Boomer snapped.

"X-Force! Attack!" Cable yelled as he and his team teleported into the battle and opened fire on the sentinels. Domino, Bishop and Sage were deadly enough, but he'd also brought Deadpool for back up against the sentinels.

"It's about bloody time!" Siryn yelled.

"Yeah, what the hell?!" Boomer yelled. "Did you stop for coffee? 'Cause I really want a latte." She said.

"Stop screwing around Boomer!" Cable barked. "Domino, take point and…"

"Shut it you armored plated asshat!" Boomer snapped. "Siryn's in charge, you're just here to shoot things!"

"Why am I here again?" Deadpool asked as he teleported onto a sentinels back and began blasting away with his pulse rifles. _'My guess would be comic relief, because this has been some really dark and heavy shit up till now.'_ The more logical voice in his head stated._'To be awesome and make Siryn fall in love with us!'_ The manic voice answered.

"To draw fire!" Cable yelled.

"Fuck you Summers!" Deadpool yelled. "You told me there was a hot chick with huge boobs who had a thing for horribly disfigured nut jobs here!" He yelled. _'I can't believe you fell for that again! It was obviously a trick!'_ The logical voice said. _'Dude, we couldn't afford to take that chance…boobs are awesome!'_ The manic voice retorted. "Yes…yes they are." Deadpool said, ogling Boomer. She was _really_ well endowed and for a moment Deadpool forgot all about the giant killer robots as he stared lecherously at the little blonde.

"Thank God for that." Boomer said as a sentinel swatted him across the room and opened fire on him.

"X-Force! Defensive formation! Concentrate fire on the Nimrods!" Siryn ordered as everyone took up a defensive position. "Get to work Boomer! Blow the equipment!" She ordered.

* * *

**Control Center**

"No where left to run Trask!" Cannonball yelled as Cyclops blasted down the doors to the control center and they confronted their foe. "Shut the sentinels down or this gets ugly." He ordered,

"You're too late…" Trask said in a defeated tone. "It has control now."

"It?" Cyclops asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Nimrod." Trask answered. "It's still alive."

"What th' hell?!" Cannonball exclaimed as the rear doors opened and a Prowler Sentinel charged out. The machine was a monstrous quadrupedal tank with heavier armor and more weapons than the first generation Nimrod units. Only a few had seen action during the war, but they were terrifying, deadly opponents and Cannonball didn't know if he and Cyclops could stop it.

"Bolivar Trask! You are defective! Your existence is no longer necessary!" Nimrod's disembodied voice said ominously. The Prowler Sentinel immediately opened fire and his body exploded into a red mist, splattering all over the wall and the control panel.

_"Cannonball! We've got a problem!"_ Cypher yelled.

_"No shit Cypher! Nimrod's still alive! It's in th' computer!"_ Cannonball yelled as the Prowler opened fire on him. He blocked the shot with his blast shield, but the force of the impact nearly knocked him down.

_"It's trying to break out and infect the whole internet!"_ Cypher yelled.

_"Kill it Cypher!"_ Cyclops yelled as he dodged a blast and returned fire. The Prowler's armor was so strong that even his force beam couldn't penetrate it and they were in real trouble.

_"I can't! It's corrupted the whole system!"_ Cypher yelled as Nimrod severed his connection and all the sentinels reverted to its control and began attacking the X-Men and X-Force again. He never expected anything like this to happen and he didn't have a back up plan; the world was about to end and there was nothing he could do. If Nimrod got loose in the internet, it could access SHIELD's defense network and annihilate the human race with nuclear weapons.

_"You better find a way!"_ Cannonball ordered.

"Go for its legs! Try to disable it!" Cyclops yelled as he blasted the Prowler again. The machine staggered, but it didn't go down and it unleashed a massive energy blast at him.

"Hold on!" Cannonball yelled as he leaped in front of Cyclops, shielding him with his blast field. His shield held, but the tremendous force blasted them both through the wall and out into the Research and Development Lab.

_"Cannonball!"_ Cypher screamed as the Prowler scrambled through the hole after them.

* * *

**Helicarrier Pericles**

**En Route to the Trask Industries Black Site**

"What the hell is going on Stark?! This system's supposed to be impenetrable!" Cmdr. Hill exclaimed. Every system on the helicarrier had stopped responding and she ship seemed to have a mind of its own. SHIELD's entire network had been compromised; she'd lost contact with Colonel Fury and the other helicarriers and nothing her crew was doing to regain control was working.

"It's the Nimrod artificial intelligence…" Iron Man said in utter disbelief as he analyzed the virus attacking the system. He'd studied Nimrod's damaged memory core extensively after the attack on Genosha and he instantly recognized their old enemy.

"How?!" Cmdr. Hill asked incredulously.

"Trask must have plugged Nimrod's memory core into his main computer to access what was left of its memory and over time its artificial intelligence repaired itself." He explained. "It must have just become self-aware and fully functional again within the last few hours…or we probably wouldn't be here now." He said. He'd thought Nimrod was dead when he'd examined it after the battle, but he'd warned the SHIELD council not to return the core to Trask for research and he was furious that they had ignored his warning.

"Can you stop it?" Cmdr. Hill asked.

"I don't know…it's going to be close, we probably have ten minutes before it's through the firewall and can access our missile launch codes." He said grimly. FRIDAY was the most advanced artificial intelligence on the planet, but he wasn't sure it could overcome Nimrod's technological advantage.

"I'll destroy this ship before I let those missiles launch." Cmdr. Hill said emphatically.

"I can stop this Hill!" Iron Man yelled as he uploaded FRIDAY into the helicarrier's main computer.

"You're the only chance we've got Stark." Cmdr. Hill said. "Even if we _could_ launch our jets, that base can't be destroyed in an airstrike."

* * *

**Trask Industries Black Site**

**-Cybernetics Lab-**

"Karima, wha's wrong?!" Wolfsbane asked as she suddenly sat bolt upright on the operating table.

"Mutants detected!" Karima said as her voice changed to the cold robotic tone of a sentinel. "Target identified! Wolverine! Terminate!" She said as she transformed into a deadly Omega Sentinel. Her right arm transformed into a plasma cannon and she blasted Wolverine across the room, incinerating him.

"Karima! No!" Wolfsbane yelled as she tackled her. Karima could lift 70 tons thanks to her cybernetic augmentations and she easily overpowered the little werewolf. She threw Wolfsbane against the wall as she got up and then slammed her fist into Wrath as he attacked her. She hit him so hard she cracked his face shield, shattered his cheek bone and nearly knocked him out.

"Target identified! Wolfsbane! Terminate!" Karima hissed as she unleashed a devastating sonic attack, overwhelming her heightened senses and knocking her unconscious.

"Rahne! NO!" Wrath screamed as he plowed into Karima, smashing her against the wall before she could do any further harm to Wolfsbane. His helmet shielded him from the sonic attack, but her strength and reflexes were far superior to his and she knocked him across the room with one blow.

"Sorry kid, but you ain't leaving me any choice!" Wolverine said as he rammed his claws into Karima's side. She was badly injured, but her nanomorphic tissue began to regenerate immediately and Wolverine prepared to finish her off.

"Wolverine! Don't! She's still in there!" Wrath pleaded. "I can save her!" He begged. He didn't want to hurt her since he could still sense her consciousness beneath the sentinels programming.

"Then do it!" He yelled as she opened fire on him with both arm cannons, blasting off his flesh. Wrath attacked her again, interrupting her assault, but she quickly slammed him to the ground, shattering his face shield with the force of her blow. She'd nearly burned Wolverine to death and for the moment he was powerless to help Wrath as Karima stalked toward him.

"Target identified! Iron Guardian! Capture!" Karima said as he struggled to his feet. She easily blocked his punch and twisted his arm behind him in an agonizing submission hold.

_'Kurt! Karima's activated! Nimrods controlling her and she's taken out the whole team!'_ Wrath yelled telepathically.

_'I….I understand Mike…'_

_'No, I can save her…but I need a distraction.'_ He said. _'Kurt…if I miss…'_

_'Don't miss, I'm coming.'_ Night Crawler said as he blessed himself and drew his swords.

_'God, guide my hand.'_ Wrath prayed.

"Target identified! Night Crawler! Terminate!" Karima said as he teleported into the room and she whirled and took aim with her arm cannon. Wrath snatched the knife out of the scabbard on his shoulder and a sickening crack split the air he whirled and drove the blade into her shoulder, shattering his own arm in the process. Wrath hit the weak point he'd seen on her schematics and Karima's arm cannon malfunctioned and overloaded, sending a massive power surge through her system and forcing a reboot.

"Terminate this!" Wrath yelled as he unleashed his full power in a massive psionic attack, severing the connection between Karima's mind and the cybernetic brain implants. Karima collapsed and reverted to her natural appearance as the sentinel programming deactivated. She was free of Nimrod's mind control and no longer a threat to the team.

"Not bad Bub." Wolverine said as he helped Wrath to his feet. She'd burned Logan down to the bone, but he'd be fine in another minute or two. It looked like Wrath was in bad shape though, his left arm was badly broken and that telepathic attack had taken a lot out of him.

"Just like old times…." Wrath gasped.

"Yeah…you gonna make it?" Wolverine asked.

"I'll live…" Wrath said he limped back to the computer terminal. _"Cypher, what the hell is going on up there?!"_ He asked.

_"It's bad Wrath! Nimrod's alive and it's controlling the sentinels! Cannonball and Cyclops got taken out by a Prowler and Siryn's team's getting hammered!"_ Cypher said. _"Nimrod's desperate, it's trying to hack SHIELD and launch their nukes!"_

_"_Go!" Wrath said as he turned to Wolverine. He hated to send Wolverine out there alone, but Karima had beaten him up so badly he couldn't keep up with him now. They had to destroy the main computer and kill Nimrod before it was too late and Wolverine might be the only one left alive who could survive long enough to get there.

"Get us back to th' PACRAT." He told Night Crawler.

* * *

**SHIELD Headquarters**

**Staten Island New York**

"Why are they attacking **us**?!" Silk yelled as she leaped onto the side of the wall, dodging the sentinel's energy blast. She and the rest of the Avengers Omega Team had been on alert all morning after the team at Trask Industries had been attacked, but the last thing she expected was for the sentinels to turn on them.

"What the hell just happened?!" Power Man yelled as he smashed one of the sentinels that had opened fire on the SHIELD agents.

"Exactly what Hank and I said would happen!" Falcon answered as he swooped in and blasted the towering Mark II sentinel in the face before it could crush Mockingbird. He, Ant Man, Hulk and Captain America had been opposed to continuing the sentinel program after the war and now their worst fears were realized.

"Regroup on me and take these things out before they get to the barracks or the command center!" He ordered.

"We have more pressing concerns Falcon!" Vision said as swooped down beside him. "We have lost all contact with the other SHIELD forces and the Nimrod artificial intelligence has gained access to the internet! It is attempting to break the encryption on the nuclear launch codes!" He warned him.

"Can you stop it?!" Falcon asked.

"I am…uncertain…its program is highly evolved." Vision answered.

"Do what you can to slow it down…we have to buy the Alpha Team time to stop it at the source!" He ordered. _'If they're still alive…'_He thought. Vision phased through the wall into the command center as the rest of the Omega Team attacked the rampaging sentinels.

"They're tougher than they look!" Tigra said as she attacked a Mark I sentinel. He claws were useless against their tough armor and even though she had superhuman strength, it was barely enough to hold her own against them.

"I need a bigger gun!" Mockingbird said as her bullets bounced off the sentinel's armor. She didn't have any superhuman powers or equipment like her teammates and she only narrowly avoided being burned alive as the sentinel opened fire on her with its energy cannons.

"I gotcha Boo!" Silk yelled as she swung into the sentinel at full speed, smashing into the wall. "Get to the armory! I'll help Tigra with these Go-bots!" She yelled as she took on another of the killer robots. Mockingbird was mortified to be saved by the rookie she'd been training, but at the same time she was pleased Silk was such a quick learner. She had been against letting her join the team at first, but she realized Silk was ready and she just hoped they'd all live through the day so she could thank her.

* * *

**Trask Industries Black Site**

**-Main Assembly Area-**

"Get away from her!" Boomer yelled as she blasted the sentinels away from M. Cypher's sentinels had suddenly turned against them and they were completely overwhelmed. "Come on Princess Perfect! We've gotta go!" She said as she grabbed the battered and bloody rookie. The remaining Nimrod units had adapted to all of the X-Force's attacks and M hadn't stood a chance against their brutal onslaught.

"Boomer!" Warpath yelled as a high-powered round from a Mark I tore through her armor and knocked her off her feet. "Deadpool! Grab M and go!" He yelled as he plowed through the sentinels, snatched up Boomer and ran for cover as the sentinels unleashed a hail of gunfire on them.

"Everyone pull back!" Siryn yelled.

"Sage! See what you can do for them!" Cable exclaimed as they regrouped. "Wade! Bishop! Dom! We gotta hold 'em back!" He yelled as they reloaded.

"Check her first!" Tabitha told Sage. M was slumped against the wall in agony; she'd never been hurt like this before and it scared her to death. Boomer wasn't in much better shape herself, but she'd been wounded before and she kept her composure.

"Jimmy…check her wound and hold pressure till I get there." Sage ordered as she rushed to M's side. She was a skilled medic and she knew they were both in serious trouble just by looking at them.

"Is it bad?" Boomer asked as Warpath ripped open her armor vest to examine her wound.

"Bad enough." He told her. Her vest had absorbed most of the damage, but the round had ripped into the flesh on her side between her ribs and her hip and she was bleeding badly.

"Help me." Boomer said as she pulled out a bottle of emergency cauterizing foam from the first aid kit Wolfsbane had given her.

"This is gonna hurt like hell." Warpath warned. Boomer screamed in pain as he poked the nozzle into her wound and stopped the bleeding. She didn't have any pain killer and the foam actually hurt more than being shot.

"Thanks…now strap me back up…" Boomer gasped.

"Tabby…"

"Do it." She said bluntly. "I'm not leaving without Sam."

_"Cypher! Wha's happening?!"_ Siryn yelled. The sentinels had all broken free of his control and taken them completely by surprise. They were lucky to be alive and Siryn was worried about the other teams.

_"Nimrod's alive!"_ He explained. _"It's A.I. regenerated itself in the main computer and now it's locked me out and taken control of everything!"_ He told her.

_"Where's Cannonball?!"_ She asked.

_"I don't know!"_ Cypher answered. _"He and Cyclops were attacked by a Prowler Sentinel…I think they're dead."_

_"Sam's indestructible!"_ Boomer said yelled into the radio at Cypher. _"He's been through worse than this and he's not dead!"_

_"He's not answering and the rescue team's on their way out…you guys need to pull out too…we've lost this one."_ Cypher said in a defeated tone.

_"No!"_ Siryn yelled. _"We're not leaving them and we have to stop Nimrod!"_ She told them.

_"How?!"_ Cypher asked.

_"There has to be a way!"_ Siryn snapped. _"Think! Ye're supposed to be a genius!"_ She told him.

_"I can't do anything from here!"_ Cypher told her.

_"Could ye do anything from _**_here _**_then?!"_ She asked.

_"Yeah…Yeah! If I could get to the main computer…I know I could kill Nimrod!"_ He answered.

_"Send Cable yer coordinates."_ She ordered.

"X-Force! Hold this position until Cable get's back with him!" Siryn ordered as Cable teleported. "This is fer Sam!" She yelled as they all attacked the sentinels.

"Get up M!" Boomer yelled as she blasted a sentinel.

"Shut up Tabitha…I'm…I'm hurt." She choked out as she clutched her side and coughed up blood. The Nimrod units could each lift over 100 tons and their energy cannons packed an incredible punch. She wasn't invulnerable after all and now she was paying for her overconfidence.

"We're all hurt Princess Perfect!" Boomer yelled. She'd just been shot and had to patch herself up with emergency cauterizing foam. It hurt so much she could hardly stand up and she didn't have much patience for M's whining.

"It's easy to act like a badass when you're invulnerable!" Boomer snapped. "Are you gonna quit now that you bleed like the rest of us?!" She asked.

"I never quit!" M said angrily. She still didn't like Boomer, but she had a new respect for her now seeing how she refused to quit despite being hurt so badly. She was in so much pain she could barely stand, but she was fighting back with every bit of strength she had. M was ashamed of her moment of weakness and she'd rather die than live with the humiliation of running while the others stood their ground. That was the moment when she realized what it meant to be an X-Man and she hurled herself into battle again.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**Westchester New York**

"Hank! What's happening?!" Ororo as she and the other X-Men joined him in the operations room on the third sub-level.

"There's been some sort of cyber attack." Hank answered. "A virus knocked out our defense systems and tried to access Cerebro before Kitty broke our connection and locked down the system." He told her. "Whatever it is, it's taking over the whole internet." He added.

"It's Nimrod..." Kitty gasped as she analyzed the virus. "It's become software!" She yelled as she phased through the console, destroying it and the Nimrod virus. "Our Shiar computers didn't agree with it….I killed it while it was still isolated, but I took out the whole defense grid." She explained.

"This is bad…" Forge said as he rebooted the rest of the systems and scanned the area. "We've got a flight of sentinels coming up from the south…they're headed right for us." He told them.

"Without the defense systems, they could wipe us out." Hank said.

"We have to protect the students and buy X-Force more time." Ororo said as she watched the sentinels approaching. They knew the team had found what they were looking for in the Adirondacks, but it was obvious something had gone horribly wrong.

"Danielle! Take Paige and Jubilation with you, get the students, staff and the professor into the Danger Room, they'll be safe there!" She ordered. "Sharon, you and Annie protect Laura and Xian…Jonathan, you and Katherine do what you can to defend the mansion…they rest of you suit up, we're going to fight them." She said.

"We can have the defense shield up in a few minutes." Forge told her. "It's connected to separate systems with a backup power supply." He explained as he and Kitty set to work. Danielle, Paige and Jubilee raced off to round up the students as the others headed for the armory.

"You're coming too Dr. Bradley?" Ororo asked as he joined them.

"My dear headmistress…what is the point of building a laser Gatling gun if you never use it to melt evil robots?" He asked snidely.

* * *

**Aboard the PACRAT**

**Adirondack Mountains**

"How is she Doc?" Mike asked as Dr. Reyes examined Rahne's injuries.

"It's bad, but she's tough…she should be ok if we can get her back to Institute." Dr. Reyes reassured him as she finished her scan. She'd suffered an awful shock to her system from Karima's sonic attack and both her ears were bleeding. Fortunately, she'd be fine after a few hours in the healing pod and Dr. Reyes gave her a shot for the pain until they got home.

"What about Karima?" He asked.

"I don't know." Dr. Reyes answered. "Her vitals are stable, but we'll have to wait for Hank and Forge to examine her to know for sure."

"Do what you can for her Doc." Mike said as he ripped down some of the cargo netting to make a sling for his arm. "Kurt, gimme a hand here, we gotta get back in there!" He said.

"Damn it Mike!" Dr. Reyes yelled.

"Doc! We've got wounded!" Neena shouted as she and Tessa scrambled up the ramp carrying Monet and Deadpool followed with Bishop. They were both badly injured and Dr. Reyes had her hands full since Rahne was still unconscious. Fortunately Tessa had medical training as well and she could help treat their injuries.

"He's got a collapsed lung and she's got a ruptured spleen!" Dr. Reyes said as she examined them. The PACRAT wasn't as fast as the Blackbird, but it came equipped with sophisticated medical equipment since it had to serve as a mobile HQ during the war.

"Oh God…it hurts so much…" Monet choked out as she writhed in pain.

"I know Monet." Dr. Reyes said, trying to comfort her. "This will help…now I need you to calm down before you go into shock." She said.

"What's that you're giving her?" Tessa asked as Dr. Reyes gave Monet and injection.

"An injection of medical nanites that Hank created." Dr. Reyes explained. "They should help slow her bleeding until we can get her into surgery." She said.

"We're going to have to do surgery on Bishop now, or he won't make it." Dr. Reyes said. He was in really bad shape, but they should be able to stabilize him for the short flight back to the institute. Tessa was a skilled battlefield medic and Dr. Reyes had spent the war behind the lines saving the lives of hundreds of civilians and soldiers despite the terrible conditions.

"Hang on Bishop." Dr. Reyes said as strapped an oxygen mask to his face and prepared to put him under.

"Domino, where are th' others?!" Mike asked as he shot himself full of painkiller.

"Terry sent Cable after Cypher! They're going in to save Sam and kill Nimrod! The damn things trying to hack SHIELD and launch their nukes!" Neena explained. "Get this thing ready to fly Kurt! If we make it through this, I don't want to be here when SHIELD and the Avengers show up!" She yelled as he teleported to the cockpit and she kicked open the ammo crate and began to reload the weapons.

"Mike!" Deadpool yelled as he teleported next to him. "Dude! You look like shit…and coming from me, that's pretty bad." Deadpool told him.

"Shut up and help me you jackass!" Mike snapped as he glared at the annoying mercenary. Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool wasn't called the "merc with the mouth" for nothing and he got on Mike's last nerve.

"Aw Mike…you still pissed about what happened at Chaparanga Beach?" Deadpool asked as he strapped Mike's broken arm to his chest using the cargo netting. _'Well, he was almost killed…six times.'_The logical voice reminded him. _'And he nearly got sexually assaulted by the Brood Queen.'_The manic voice chimed in.

"Damn it Wade! I'm not in th' mood fer yer bullshit right now! I'm worried about my team!" Mike yelled.

"Relax, they'll be fine! They're just one cliffhanger away from kicking Nimrod's ass!" He said, trying to make Mike feel better.

"Life is not a comic book you idiot!" Mike snapped.

"You know, you might be right…" Deadpool said as he looked around for a moment. "This really feels more like a mediocre fan fiction."

"Fan Fiction? Really?" Mike asked, incredulously.

"Yeah…I mean you're pretty much a dead giveaway with that cliché tough-guy scar on your face and your convenient power set, but then Tabitha's not an idiot, Sam's got his balls back, Dani's not perfect and Rahne has morals and self-respect again." He said. "So, unless we hit a time warp and went back to the nineties, there's no way this can be a comic book."

"Yer're insane." Mike said bluntly.

"I'm serious! That shit **really** happened in the comics!" Deadpool exclaimed. "God's favorite werewolf here is a deranged sex predator who fornicates with wolf gods and fights over her gay ex-boyfriend with a guy who's his own grandfather!" He said. "Tabby's a dumb blonde who's so stupid Forbush Man's powers won't work on her and…."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard Wade! Shut up before I shoot you in th' ass!" Mike yelled interrupting Deadpool's demolition of the fourth wall.

"Shut your yap and help me with this cannon Wade!" Neena snapped as she rigged a three point sling on Wrath's rifle so he could aim and reload with one hand. Siryn had ordered them to stay with M and Bishop, but she wasn't about to sit there while the others were killed by the sentinels.

"You tryin' to compensate for something Mike?" Deadpool asked as he helped Wrath with his massive assault rifle.

"I'm not th' one who had a solid gold gun that shot diamond bullets." Wrath retorted. "Now shut th' hell up and get us back in there!" He yelled as they teleported back into the base.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**Westchester New York**

_"Storm! I'm tracking two Mark VI Devastators coming in fast from the southeast!"_ Forge said as an energy shield formed over the mansion and the flight of Mark I sentinels landed on the south lawn. The incoming advanced models had thicker armor and more deadly firepower than the Mark II sentinels and now the team was in real trouble.

"I'll take them myself!" Storm said as rose into the air, propelled aloft by a violent whirlwind. "Emma! You and Iceman lead the attack! Beast, you and Northstar back them up! Don't let them onto the school grounds! Nemesis! If anything gets past us, you turn it to ash!" She ordered as the team tore into the sentinels.

_"Storm! I've got the kids secure!"_ Mirage yelled over the radio. _"We're on our way out to help you!"_ She said.

_"Hurry, we're being overwhelmed!"_ Storm yelled.

_"Ro! You've got to take out those big boys or we're in a world of hurt down here! They're packing one megaton laser cannons! I don't know if the shield can take too many hits like that!"_ Forge said as he broke in on the conversation. As CEO of Forge Industries and one of the longest serving X-Men; he'd designed all the institute's defense systems including the new energy shield.

_"It won't have too."_ Storm said as she unleashed her power, summoning a massive storm high above the institute. The sentinels were suddenly struck by hurricane force winds sending them smashing into each other above Breakstone Lake.

_"They're not coming any closer!"_ She yelled as she incinerated the robots with massive bolts of lightning, sending them crashing into Breakstone Lake as the X-Men charged into battle.

* * *

**Trask Industries Black Site**

**-Research and Development Lab-**

"Cyclops! Now!" Cannonball yelled as he plowed into the Prowler and unleashed all his power in single devastating punch that crushed the machine's armored hull and sent it crashing into the wall. Cyclops removed his visor and blasted the killer robot with the full power of his optic blasts as the roof gave way, burying the machine under tons of rock.

"I think we got him" Cyclops said as he replaced his visor.

"Yeah, nice shootin'." Cannonball said as he collapsed next to Cyclops, choking on the dust and smoke from the blast and the cave in. They'd taken out half of the R &amp; D Lab and nearly buried the whole place in rubble, but they'd finally destroyed the Prowler.

"Come on Sam…lets finish this." He said as he reached down and helped Cannonball to his feet.

"Mutant detected!" A menacing robotic voice said as a sinister pair of red eyes became visible through the dust and smoke. Nimrod had activated the Master Mold unit responsible for maintaining the base and building the sentinel army if Apocalypse had won the war. This sentinel wasn't equipped with many weapons, but it was heavily armored and more than capable of slowing them down long enough for Nimrod to finish hacking SHIELD's defense systems.

"Run Sam! I'll hold it off!" Cyclops yelled.

"You can't take it alone!" Cannonball said as he stood his ground. Cyclops was wounded and Cannonball was almost out of energy, their only hope was to face it together.

"Blast him Cyclops!" Wolverine yelled as he leaped onto the sentinels back and rammed his claws into its neck. Cyclops unleashed a devastating optic blast at the sentinel's head as Cannonball blasted it with his remaining power. Master Mold's head exploded and the murderous machine collapsed in a smoking ruin.

"Logan, where are th' others?!" Cannonball asked.

"They're going after Nimrod! It's trying to hack SHIELD and launch their nukes!" He yelled as they all ran for the Control Center. Nimrod was still jamming their communications and they didn't know if the others had made it through or not.

* * *

**SHIELD Headquarters**

**Staten Island New York**

_"Vision! I could use some good news right now!"_ Falcon yelled as he streaked across the sky, dodging sentinel energy blasts as he strafed the attacking robots. As strong as the Avengers were, they were being overwhelmed; there were just too many sentinels.

_"I have none to give! We cannot stop Nimrod! It is too powerful!"_ Vision yelled as he and FRIDAY fought to slow Nimrod's attack on the system. Nimrod was trying to overwrite their artificial intelligence and soon they'd both have to disengage or they'd be corrupted and controlled.

"Avengers! Fall back to the command center!" Falcon ordered.

"Look out!" Power Man yelled as one of the sentinels turned and blasted Falcon out of the sky.

"I gottcha!" Silk said as she saved him at the last second with her webbing. His jet pack and wings were ruined and he was unconscious from the force of the blow. The sentinel took aim at them again, but it was suddenly blown apart by laser fire as Dark Hawk and a squad of SWORD agents swooped in to save them.

"Cindy! Get him inside! I'll hold 'em off!" Dark Hawk yelled as he opened fire on the sentinels with his Shiar weaponry. He and the SWORD agents could help buy the Avengers and SHIELD a little more time, but if the Alpha Team didn't find a way to stop Nimrod quickly, they were all dead.

* * *

**Trask Industries Black Site**

**-Main Assembly Area-**

"Take cover! We're surrounded!" Cable yelled as he opened fire on the new group of sentinels and Boomer, Cypher, Warpath and Siryn scrambled for cover. The Control Center was so close, but they'd never survive long enough to reach it and they were running out of time.

"Target identified! Cable! Capture for dissection!" Nimrod commanded as the killer machines scanned Cable. His cybernetic parts would advance Nimrod's research and technology by hundreds of years and allow it to build sentinels better capable of fighting the alien races.

"Cable!" Boomer yelled as a Nimrod unit destroyed his plasma cannon and blew off his cybernetic arm. He was horribly wounded and completely helpless as the deadly machine stalked toward him. She hated him for what he'd done to Wolfsbane during the war, but she'd never leave anyone behind and she had to save him.

"Boomer…run…" Cable gasped as she leaped in front of him and blasted the sentinel with all the power she had left.

"I'm not leaving you!" She yelled as she grabbed the strap on his armor vest and tried to drag him behind cover. Boomer was strong, but Cable weighed over 300lbs and she was too weak from her injuries to move him.

"Get down!" Cannonball yelled as he swooped in and blasted straight through the sentinel's chest like a missile. He grabbed Cable and Boomer and dragged them both behind a huge metal stamping machine where Cypher was hiding as the sentinels continued to fire at them.

"Oh God yer're shot!" Sam gasped.

"I'll live." She said trying to reassure him.

"Who th' hell is this?!" He asked as he noticed Cypher cowering next to them. He was about Mike's height, but no where near as muscular and he had light blonde hair and blue eyes like Tabitha.

"This is Cypher! You've got get him to the Control Center!" Boomer explained. "He's our only chance to stop this!" She said. Cannonball's blast field made him invulnerable and he was their only chance. They were surrounded and Cypher was so scared that he couldn't move. He knew the whole world was depending on him, but he'd experienced anything like this and it was beyond terrifying.

"Go Sam! We'll hold 'em off!" Siryn yelled as Wrath, Deadpool and Domino teleported into the battle and unleashed a devastating barrage of fire on the remaining sentinels.

"Come on!" Cannonball yelled as he grabbed Cypher and flew through the doors to the Control Center as the battled raged behind them.

"Target identified! Cypher! All units attack!" Nimrod disembodied voice said as they entered the control center.

"How does it know **_you_**?!" Cannonball asked.

"I guess my reputation precedes me." Cypher said as he accessed Nimrod's memory core and merged his consciousness with it. _'So…we've met before…'010101000110_Cypher thought as Nimrod's cold mechanical mind tried to overwhelm him. _'You should know it's pointless to try to kill me…you've lost.'10101010100111001010_ He thought as he forced the artificial intelligence to submit. _'I see the numbers, I see the pattern...I know how to kill you now.'010111010101010_ He thought.

"Hurry up Cypher! Th' others can't hold 'em off much longer!" Cannonball yelled.

"Gimme a second Cannonball! This thing is software now! It's trying to take over the whole internet!" Cypher yelled. He'd been able to learn Nimrods programming language now that he had direct access to the core, but it had spread so far into the internet that he was having trouble keeping up with it. He had to eradicate every trace of Nimrod; if just part of its A.I. survived, it could rebuild itself again.

"We don't have a second!" Cannonball exclaimed as he looked around the room at the various monitors. SHIELD and the Avengers were under siege by sentinels and the helicarriers were positioned for a nuclear strike; the world was seconds away from Armageddon.

"Time to end this Nimrod!"_1010100110100100011111000011000110_ Cypher said coldly as he destroyed the Nimrod artificial intelligence, purging it from the internet and all of existence. The sentinels instantly deactivated as the helicarriers came back online and the whole world breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"That was too close…" Cannonball said as he tried to catch his breath.

"Yeah…thanks Sam, I never would have made it without you." Cypher admitted as he tried to regain his composure. He felt like he was about to have a heart attack and he had never been more impressed with the other's bravery than he was now.

"You really came through fer us this time Cypher." Cannonball said.

"Terry's the real hero…I was ready to give up, but she just wouldn't quit." He told him. "She pulled us together when it hit the fan…she saved the mission."

"That's why I put her on th' assault team." Cannonball said.

_"Cannonball! We need to leave now!"_ Siryn said as their communication network came back online. _"Night Crawler says we've got Avengers headed our way!"_She said.

_"Get th' wounded back to th' PACRAT! We're right behind you!"_ Cannonball ordered.

"Wait Sam…there's something I have to do." Cypher said.

"Cypher we've got to get out of here!" Cannonball said.

"They're not going to cover it up…not again." Cypher said. "Thanks to this tech I'm now on every screen, everywhere and I'm going to tell the world the truth." He said as his avatar appeared on every tablet, smart phone and computer screen. "I just dumped all Trask's dirty secrets on the internet." Cypher said as he finished the download. "The truth about the Purge and Nimrod… their illegal weapons manufacturing and their collusion with RIGHT…the kidnapping and the human experimentation…all the **_really_** interesting stuff." He said.

"Good, now blow this place to hell and let's go home." Cannonball ordered.

"Gladly." Cypher said as he disabled the safety programs and set the generators to overload.

* * *

**Helicarrier Pericles**

**En Route to Trask Industries Black Site**

"You cut that a little close Stark." Commander Hill said sarcastically as she disarmed the auto destruct sequence with only five seconds to spare. She felt like she was about to throw up, but she kept her composure in front of her troops and the Avengers.

"That wasn't me Hill…" Tony said as he collapsed into the nearest chair, staring blankly at the screen. He and FRIDAY had been unable to stop Nimrod even with Vision's help and he couldn't believe they were still alive.

"Then…"

"Commander! The base…it's gone!" Lieutenant Pitchford said as all the instruments and scanners came back online. They were still thirty miles from the base, but the scanners showed a huge cloud of smoke rising out of the mountain. The blast had registered 4.0 on the Richter scale and people as far away as Montreal had felt the tremor.

"Captain Rogers, take a Ranger team out there and recon the site." Cmdr. Hill ordered. "Open a comm. channel back to SHIELD HQ." She told the communications officer.

"Channel open ma'am." She replied.

"Commander Hill of the Pericles reporting in Colonel." She said as Colonel Fury appeared on the main view screen. She was shocked when she saw him; his face was scratched and smeared with what looked like soot. He'd clearly been fighting and she hoped they hadn't lost many agents and Avengers to the surprise attack.

"Good to see you in one piece Hill." Col. Fury said. "I don't know you stopped that thing, but you saved us from being annihilated." He told her.

"We didn't stop Nimrod sir…the black-ops team that attacked us earlier did." She admitted. "They blew the whole base to hell…I've got Captain Rogers and a Ranger team heading out to recon the site now." She told him.

"I want a full report by 0800." He told her.

"Yes sir." She said. "Colonel…how bad were we hit?" She asked after a moment. She was worried about the other helicarrier crews and everyone back at headquarters and she knew her crew was as well.

"The other helicarriers are fine Hill…but HQ got hit hard." Col. Fury told her. "We're still assessing the damage, but we lost some good agents today and the Omega Team is in rough shape right now." He said. "We're still getting reports in, but we know the X-Men were hit and we're trying to reestablish contact with Alpha Flight and Winter Guard."

"Understood sir…we'll be underway as soon as Captain Rogers returns." She said despondently.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**Westchester New York**

"Jean-Paul!" Ororo exclaimed as she swooped down and landed next to him. He was horribly wounded and Hank was trying desperately to stop the bleeding. _"Annie! Jean-Paul is hurt! We need you and Sharon out here now!"_She yelled into the radio.

"Stay with me Jean-Paul!" Hank yelled. "Don't go to sleep on me!" He yelled as Jean-Paul started to go into shock. He'd used his super speed to save Hank from being blasted by a sentinel, but he'd ended up taking the shot himself.

"I can't…I can't feel my legs Hank…" He gasped.

"Hold still." Dr. Nemesis ordered as he gave Jean-Paul and injection of the medical nanites Hank had created. They couldn't repair the damage to his spine, but they would stop him from bleeding to death before they could get him into the operating room.

_"Ororo, I just heard from X-Force."_ Kitty said over the radio. _"They're on their way home…Bishop and Monet are going to need surgery as soon as they land. Cable, Tabitha, Mike, Rahne and Scott all need to go the pods."_ She told her.

_"Did they find any of the children?"_ Ororo asked.

_"Yeah, they've got two on board."_ Kitty said. _"The girl is in really bad shape…they experimented on her…Forge is getting his lab ready now."_She explained. _"Kurt said the boy was fine, physically, but he's really traumatized by what he saw."_

"Sharon…you'll have to help Hank with Jean-Paul." Ororo told her as she and Annie arrived to help move him. "Annie, you go with Dr. Nemesis and Tessa can help Cecelia." She explained. "Danielle, I'll need you and David to help me get the others into the pods when they arrive." She said. They didn't have enough staff to deal with this many injured and if it weren't for the Shiar healing pods, they'd be in real trouble.

"I'll see to the boy." Emma said as she returned to her natural form.

"Ro…Hank can fix him…can't he?" Bobby asked as he and Danielle watched them carry Jean-Paul back to the mansion.

"I don't know Robert…I'm worried too, but right now we have to help the others." She said. "I need you to help Paige and Jubilation take care of the students while we treat the others…we're going to be very busy." She said as they followed the others inside.

* * *

**Aboard the PACRAT**

**En Route to Xavier Institute**

"Doc, is she gonna be alright?" Sam asked as he sat beside Tabitha holding her hand while Dr. Reyes cleaned and treated her wounds. It was tearing him apart inside to see her hurt like this and he wished there was something more he could do to comfort her. Despite the pain, Tabitha felt better with Sam there to comfort her and she was relieved that Rahne and the others had survived the mission.

"She's lost a lot of blood Sam, but she should make a full recovery once we get her in the pod." Dr. Reyes said, trying to reassure both of them.

"What about th' others?" Sam asked as he looked around the cabin at all the wounded members of X-Force and the X-Men. Rahne, Mike and Scott were all hurt and Cable was badly burned. He had lost his cybernetic arm and he had third degree plasma burns from his rifle exploding, but his armor had saved his life. Monet was in terrible pain from her broken ribs and a ruptured spleen, but the nanites had done their job and she was no longer in danger of bleeding out. Bishop was the most serious; he had multiple broken ribs and a collapsed lung but Dr. Reyes had stabilized him and Tessa was monitoring his condition.

"They're all going to pull through, we got lucky this time." Dr. Reyes answered.

"What about Karima?" Sam asked.

"It looks like her systems are in "stand by" mode." Cypher said as he examined her with the onboard medical scanner. "I can deactivate the cybernetic brain implants and erase her sentinel programming." He said. "Without that program her nanomorphic tissue should behave just like natural human tissue and we shouldn't have to worry about her going all "Terminator Genisys" on us again." He explained.

"Terry…how's he doin'?" Sam asked. Theresa and James were trying their best to comfort Eddie. He'd been trapped in Dr. Animus's horrible lab for a week waiting his turn as the mad scientist's attempts to create a machine/human hybrid failed and he was still so frightened he could hardly breathe. Theresa gave Sam a pained look that told him what he already knew; Eddie was completely broken and he might not ever fully recover from the trauma he'd endured.

"What about you?" Sam asked after a moment.

"I'll be alright Sam…" Theresa sighed as she leaned back against James' chest and he put his arm around her. "We all came home and as far as I know, nobody's scarred fer life…I think I can live with that." She said. She wasn't going to give in to guilt and depression again and this time she was going to lean on James for strength and comfort instead drinking.

_'You'll be alright Rahne; we're on our way home.'_ Mike said telepathically as she slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. Karima's attack had ruptured her eardrums and left her severely injured, but Dr. Reyes had assured him she'd make a full recovery in the Shiar pods and he trusted Dr. Reyes with his life.

_'I can't hear.'_ Rahne said.

_'You got hurt really bad, but Doc says you'll be fine once we get you in the pod.'_ Mike said as he gently squeezed her hand. _'I can help with the pain.' _He offered. Rahne trusted Mike and she lowered her mental defenses so he could use his telepathy to block some of her pain receptors.

_'You look awful…'_ She said.

_'I feel awful too, but I'm ok…just a broken arm and fractured orbital.'_ He told her.

_'Wha' about Karima?'_ Rahne asked.

_'We saved her.'_ Mike said.

_'And the others?'_ She asked.

_'They're all here too.'_ He said. _'Tabitha got shot…Bishop and Monet are pretty messed up too, but they'll all make it.'_He told her.

_'Monet's really scared.'_ She said as she caught her scent. _'Talk to her Mike…help me calm her down.' _Rahne said as she reached over and took her hand. Mike was touched by Rahne's kindness, she was in awful pain herself, but she was more concerned with Monet's well-being than her own. Monet was always awful to Rahne and she'd made it clear she didn't like Mike either so she was really surprised that they were trying so hard to comfort her.

"Ugh…this is sweet enough to give you cavities." Wade said. "Who wants to go to Harry's and get shit faced when we land?" He asked.

"I'm in." Neena said.

"We gotta deal with these assholes first." Logan said; pointing to Dr. Animus and the guard captain Kurt had spared.

"What the hell Logan?" Wade asked. "Just let me put a round in 'em! Its beer o'clock!"

"No! Have Emma mind wipe them and drop them off at SHIELD." Scott said.

"You better pay me extra for this bullshit Summers!" Wade grumbled.

* * *

**Xavier Institute**

**Main Medical Bay**

**-Several Hours Later-**

"Any word yet?" Paige asked. Her brother, the rest of X-Force and Kurt were still waiting in the Medical Bay for some word on Karima's condition. Ororo had brought her parents down to speak with Forge and Cypher, but they still hadn't heard anything and they were getting worried despite Cypher's assurance that he could erase her programming. Everyone was concerned about Jean-Paul as well and they were all afraid he'd be paralyzed for the rest of his life.

"Nothin'." Sam answered as he sat with Tabitha. They were all physically exhausted and emotionally drained after the battle, but they were all praying for good news about Karima and they weren't leaving until they heard something. Paige was touched by their concern for her and she was so proud of all of them for saving the world from annihilation. She hoped this mission would help to change the other X-Men's minds about her brother and his team, because as far as she was concerned they'd _always_ been heroes.

"A lot of th' kids are askin' about you." Paige said as she sat down next to Rahne and Mike to wait.

"Ye can tell them I'm fine…I jus' need time tae sleep off this headache." Rahne sighed as she snuggled close to Mike, resting her head on his shoulder. It felt like the mother of all hangovers; her head was pounding, the lights were killing her and every sound seemed to be amplified. The Shiar pods were wonderful, but they still had their limitations and as Mike had discovered the day before, there were still aches and pains associated with healing. His arm and shoulder still ached from the brutal injuries he'd suffered and he'd probably be paying for it the rest of his life.

"How 'bout th' rest of ya'll?" Paige asked.

"We're fine." Theresa said hoarsely. She barely had any voice left after using her powers so much, but she'd come through the battle otherwise unscathed. James and Sam were bruised and sore, but they'd be fine, as would Mike. Tabitha was still in pain like Rahne, but she'd be fine in a few days and she felt better with Sam there to comfort her.

"Damn this sucks." James said. "What the hell is taking so long?"

"Micro surgery can't be rushed." Hank said as he and Cecelia emerged from the Intensive Care Unit. They were both completely exhausted, but the wounded X-Men were all stable and recovering in the Shiar healing pods after surgery.

"So how'd it go?" Sam asked, unsure if he really wanted to hear the answer.

"We were able to repair the damage to Jean-Paul's spine thanks to some rather unconventional medicine from Dr. Bradley, but I'm afraid he has a very long and painful recovery ahead of him." Hank said.

"I guess that's th' best we can hope fer." Paige said as everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "I'll go tell his squad." She said as she headed back upstairs. Jean-Paul was exceedingly arrogant, but he was a part of the X-Family and they were all relieved he was going to recover.

"How are the others?" Theresa asked after a moment.

"They're fine." Dr. Reyes told her. "Monet should be healed by tomorrow morning and Bishop and Cable by tomorrow afternoon." She said.

"So what about Karima?" Mike asked.

"That's a bit of a delicate matter." Hank said. "Physically, she's fine…but her psychological recovery is going to take much longer." He explained. "Your telepathic attack wiped out her memory of the entire ordeal…she doesn't remember anything after leaving class on the day of her abduction." He said. "We've explained everything to her parents, but given the nature of her condition we haven't told her what happened yet." He explained.

"How can she not know?" Tabitha asked.

"The nanomorphic tissue perfectly mimics natural human flesh until the sentinel program activates the nanites." Hank explained. "Fortunately, Cypher erased the sentinel program and Forge has deactivated the cybernetic brain implants so she'll never have to experience the horror of that transformation again." He told them.

"Yer're **_sure_** I wiped her memories?" Mike asked.

"Emma is almost as powerful as Charles and she's assured me that her memories have been erased, not merely suppressed." Hank said, trying to reassure him. Mike was one of the most skilled members of SHIELD's Pis-Ops division and he knew the psychological devastation that suppressed traumatic memories could cause when they resurfaced.

"We cannae tell th' students…they'll be scared tae death of her; ye've seen how awful they are tae poor Laura." Rahne sniffed as she wiped her eyes and Mike held her a little closer. She'd been treated like a monster once her powers manifested and she couldn't bear the thought of Karima facing the same torment she had.

"We're not going to tell them Rahne." Hank said, trying to reassure her. "Ororo has promised to keep what happened a secret and she's promised the Shapandar's the full support of the Institute to help Karima recover." He said.

"I jus' wish we could have gotten there sooner." Rahne said.

"I know…but her parents are just thankful she's alive and they asked me to thank all of you. They're with her now and they're good people…they love her and they'll help her get through this, we all will." Hank told them.

"You can't save everyone Rahne, be thankful for the lives you get to make a difference in and give the rest to God." Dr. Reyes said. "You'd all do well to remember that…especially **you**." She said as she looked up at Mike.

"Thanks Doc…I'll try." Mike said quietly as they hugged each other. Mike made her angry sometimes, but they'd become friends during the war and now she hoped he could find some peace as she had. She'd always been impressed by Rahne and she was glad that she and Mike were apparently a couple now.

"Hey guys, did you wait around to tell me how awesome I am?" Cypher asked smugly as he walked out of Forge's lab. He felt like a real hero after killing Nimrod despite the fact he'd wanted to leave Karima and abandon Sam and Scott.

"There's nothing awesome about you Cypher." Tabitha said coldly.

"Tha's fer tellin' us tae leave Karima!" Rahne snapped as she slammed her fist into his gut so hard she knocked him down. The pain she'd seen in that poor girls eyes made Rahne's heart ache and Cypher's arrogance infuriated her.

"I guess…I deserved that…" Cypher gasped as he lay there doubled over in pain, trying to catch his breath. He may have killed Nimrod, but he'd more than earned that punch with his cruel words to Karima. Rahne was tiny, but she was incredibly strong and Cypher felt like he'd been hit by a truck.

"Damn right you did, and if yer're gonna be a part of this team from here on out, then ya better understand one thing; we don't leave **_anyone_** behind." Sam said angrily.

"Get up you wimp; that was just a love tap." James said as he reached down and snatched Cypher back up to his feet. He'd never really liked him and seeing him get taken down a peg by Rahne was a perfect way to end the day.

"You're right…I'm sorry, it won't happen again." Cypher apologized as everyone gave him disdainful looks. He still thought he was right; Karima **had** activated and she'd nearly killed everyone, but Mike had saved her and he knew better than to say one more word about it. He'd just gotten a healthy does of reality to remind him he was nothing like his teammates.

"Well then, don't ye think its time ye introduced yerself _Cypher_?" Theresa asked.

"Not much point in trying to keep secrets now, is there?" Cypher asked. "My real name's Doug Ramsey." He admitted.

"Why do ye seem familiar?" Rahne asked as she leaned closer and sniffed him. She never forgot a scent and she was sure they'd met before but she couldn't remember where.

"Ok, this is getting weird." Doug said as he backed away. He'd always been repelled by "ugly" mutants and even though Rahne was beautiful now, he was still disgusted by her hybrid and werewolf forms.

"Ye used tae date Kitty, didn't ye?" Rahne asked. She'd met him once, briefly, when she was dating Wesley and they'd run into Kitty and Doug at the theater. He hadn't made much of an impression on her at the time and she didn't even remember his name.

"We went out a few times…but we weren't serious." Doug said. Truthfully, he still regretted breaking up with Kitty, but he'd discovered she was a member of the X-Men and he knew she'd never approve of his actions if she ever learned he was the infamous hacktivist, Cypher.

"So all this time you've been livin' next door to us?" Sam asked.

"Yeah…I live across the lake in Fox Hollow." Doug said.

"We'll take him home Sam, ye need to rest." Theresa said as Sam gave her an appreciative look. He and Tabitha really needed some time alone together to comfort each other after all they'd been through.

* * *

**The First Floor**

"You want to go out to eat after we drop Doug off?" James asked as he, Theresa and Doug stepped off the elevator and headed for the garage. Theresa smiled and nodded; dinner and a quiet walk down by the lake or in the Japanese garden would certainly make her feel better. The past few days had really taken their toll on everyone and no matter how tough you are; sometimes you just need to be held by someone who loves you. She knew Tabitha was probably deep in a bubble bath with Sam by now and she hoped that Mike would honor his promise to always put Rahne first and take care of her now that she was feeling so bad.

"You guys seen the news yet?" Bobby asked as they walked through the living room on their way to the garage.

"No, but let me guess, we're _terrorists_ and it's all our fault." James said sarcastically.

"Actually, it's Senator Kelly's fault." Bobby told them as he pointed to the TV. "He was the biggest supporter of Trask and the sentinels and it looks like he's going be indicted." He said. While there were other people who shared his views, he'd made enemies on both sides of the aisle and the president was trying to use him as a scapegoat, so it looked like he was finished.

"Good, he can share a cell with Larry Trask." James said.

"It gets better." Bobby told them. "They're shutting down Trask's weapons development division permanently and they're scrapping all the sentinels." He explained.

"Something actually went right for us?" James asked.

"Yeah…much as I hate to admit it, you guys _were_ right." Bobby said.

"This wasn't about who was _"right"_Bobby." Theresa choked out. "It was about protecting the kids…so ye can save yer half-ass apology fer **them**." She said.

"You're an asshole." James said bluntly. "Come on, Terry lets get out of here before Kitty shows up and we have to deal with all _that_ drama too." He said as they walked out. Doug thought that sounded like a great idea, he really didn't want to deal with an angry ex-girlfriend after he'd already been laid out by an angry wolf-girl.

* * *

**Rahne's Room**

"Thank ye Mike…tha' feels better." Rahne sighed as he used his telepathy to help ease her pain. He wasn't the most powerful psychic, but he was highly skilled and he was glad Rahne trusted him enough to let him comfort her this way.

"It's my turn to take care of you now." He said as they snuggled together on her bed. He was still ashamed of how selfish he'd been the day before, but he was done feeling sorry for himself and all he wanted now was to make her feel better.

"Jus' hold me." Rahne said as they shared their first kiss. Their relationship was moving pretty fast, but it felt right to Rahne and she knew Mike was sincere in his commitment to her.

"Who is it?" Mike grumbled as a knock at the door shattered their intimate moment.

"Oh geez, I'm so sorry…I didn't know you had company." Megan stammered as she cracked the door and peeked in at them. "I was just so worried…they said you got hurt really bad…" She said as tears started to run down her cheeks.

"I did, but I'm ok now Meg...I've jus' got a nasty headache." Rahne said as she sat up and motioned for her to come sit beside her. Rahne and Mike weren't mad, they knew she hadn't meant to interrupt them and they were both touched Megan's concern for her.

"See?! She's fine! Just like Paige said." Noriko hissed as she opened the door and glared at Megan. She was the sweetest girl Noriko had ever met, but sometimes it was really annoying.

"You're right…I'm sorry, I'll leave you two alone now." She said, turning red as a beet.

"She means well." Noriko sighed as Megan headed back to their room down the hall.

"I know." Rahne said. She tried not to have favorites among the students, but she loved Megan the most and their relationship was special.

"I'm glad you guys are ok too." Noriko told them.

"Thanks, Nori." Mike said.

"Well…we'll let you two get back to doing _whatever_ it is superheroes do after they save the world." Noriko said as she gave them a wink and turned to leave.

"Have nightmares and cry fer a week?" Rahne teased as Noriko rolled her eyes.

"What do **you** want?!" Noriko asked angrily as opened the door and almost bumped into Logan. She was still furious that he'd attacked Mike yesterday and she was more than ready to blast him if he tried to hurt her friend again.

"Back off kid, I'm not here to fight." Logan told her.

"It's ok Nori, we're over it now." Mike said.

"Fine." Noriko said as she pushed her way past Logan and went back to her room.

"She hates you." Mike told him.

"I can tell." Logan said.

"I'm not exactly thrilled to see you either." Mike said. "What do you want?"

"You need to talk to Laura." Logan said.

"Did I give you brain damage yesterday?" Mike asked. Logan had made it pretty clear that he didn't want him involved in Laura's life anymore and this was completely unexpected. Logan was still angry with him, but he was a part of Laura's life whether he liked it or not and now she cared about him.

"No, **_she _**asked to see you when she woke up." Logan told him. "She knows what you did for her and she's grateful….I think she finally realizes her life has value now because of what you did." He explained.

"Have you told her about yesterday?" Mike asked as he sat up and leaned against the headboard of Rahne's bed. He didn't like Logan and he never would, but it was past time to let go of the past and he knew what he had to do.

"Yeah…she was confused…she's not good with emotions." Logan told him.

"Apparently neither are we." Mike said as Logan nodded in silent agreement. "Listen…I was out of line in Med Bay yesterday…yer're th' only one who _really_ understands what Laura's been through…what she's goin' through…so I shouldn't have tried t' tell you what's best fer her." Mike said. Logan had to admit he was impressed; Mike hated to admit he was wrong even more than he did and after all the animosity between them he knew how hard that must have been for him.

"I **am** a horrible father…I should have listened to her." Logan admitted grudgingly as he leaned against the door frame. Laura had apologized for disobeying him, but she'd made her desire to save others perfectly clear and Logan told her he'd respect her decision. He had to accept that her life would never be normal, but it didn't have to be like his either; he could help her realize her dreams and keep her from falling into darkness.

"She doesn't have to end up like us Logan…you can help her be the hero she wants to be." Mike said.

"I'm adopting her Mike…I'm going to give her a life and a family besides the X-Men." Logan said. His fight with Mike had made him realize that he wasn't just caring for her out of a sense of guilt anymore; he was growing to love her and think of her as his child. Mike didn't know if Logan could _really_ be the father Laura needed, but it was clear there was nothing more important to him now than her.

"This thing between us…it's been goin' on a long time." Mike said. "I can't ask you to fergive me fer what happened to her…I can't fergive myself…but I'm tired of fighting and I'm tired of hating you…I just want to help Laura if you'll let me." He said. Mike was putting Laura's well-being ahead of his pride and Logan knew he had to do the same. He didn't like Mike and he never would, but Laura wanted both of them in her life and it was time to bury the past and move on.

"I will." Logan said as he lit a cigar and walked away. Red Skull had stolen Jean's body after the war in an attempt to harness her powers for his sinister purposes. Logan loved Jean, but he realized Laura's well being should have taken precedence over everything else in his life and he should have left that mission to the other X-Men and Avengers. He could have saved Laura, but now he'd have to carry the guilt with him for the rest of his life.

"I'm proud of ye." Rahne said quietly.

"Her life is hard enough already." Mike said as they got up to go see Laura. He knew how much she loved Logan and he was grateful she would still speak to him after what he'd done the day before.

* * *

**Sam and Tabitha's Room**

Sam sighed with contentment as he and Tabitha settled into the tub together surrounded by her favorite scented candles. The hot bath helped relax his sore muscles and he began to feel better now that she was safe in his arms again. There was nothing more important to him than her and the thought that he might have lost her had shaken him to the core. He'd always been thankful that she'd chosen to share her life with him, but seeing her fight through such agony to save him made him treasure her love even more.

"I love you." He said as he held her a little closer.

"I love you too Sam." She said as she leaned back against his chest. She'd felt like her heart had been ripped out of her chest when Cypher told her he was dead, but he was safe now and she wished this tender moment would never end. She'd had such an awful life growing up that she had no idea what a healthy, loving relationship was before she met him and she was so thankful he'd chosen to share his life with her.

"I think it's time we took a vacation." He said after a moment. "We need some time together away from th' team…away from all th' crazy." He told her.

"We do." Tabitha said as she kissed him. She'd watched Jean and Scott's marriage fall apart because of the X-Men, but Sam promised her that he'd never let the team or the mission come between them. Sometimes it was really hard for him to balance his responsibility to the team with his commitment to her, but he always found time for them and she knew she was loved.

* * *

**Laura and Cessily's Room**

"You mind if I come in?" Mike asked cautiously as he looked in on Laura. The Shiar pod had completely healed her burns, but she was still weak from her injuries and her healing factor needed a few more days to return to full strength. She'd been released from the medical bay and she was resting in her room with Cessily keeping her company. Cessily didn't know what to think about Mike after that fight the day before, but she knew he couldn't be all bad if Rahne liked him.

"No, I wanted to thank you for yesterday." Laura said. Laura was glad to see that he and Logan had put their differences aside for her and she realized that Rahne had been right when she told her things would be better. She felt better about her life now that she was being adopted and allowed to fight with the X-Men. She was hurt that Logan and Mike had fought about her since they both loved her, but Ororo explained that they were damaged as well and asked her to try to forgive them.

"Don't scare me like that again." Mike said as he and Rahne sat down on the edge of her bed. He was really upset that she actually thought she deserved to die and go to hell for what she'd done while under the Facility's control.

"That was a stupid thing to do Michael…putting yourself in her power for _me_." Laura said quietly. "I do not understand why you did that."

"I think you do." Mike told her. "But you still don't believe you deserve to be loved by anyone; that yer're not real….that yer're a monster." He said as the tears began to pour down her cheeks. "You listen to me Laura Kinney; I wouldn't risk my life fer you if I didn't **know** you were real…and a monster didn't almost die to save those kids." He told her. "You might not put much value on yer life Laura, but yer friends and yer family do…so th' next time you start to think you don't matter…think about what yer death would do to us." Mike said as he reached over and held her hand.

"We love you Laura." Cessily said.

"Don't worry about me, I can handle th' witch." He told her as he, Rahne and Cessily hugged her.

"I have enough to feel guilty for already...I do not want anything to happen to you because of me." She said. Her mother had died and her family had been torn apart trying to protect her. She didn't want anyone else to die because of her and she didn't want Rahne to feel the pain that she did. Rahne had always been kind to her and Laura was beginning to feel a connection to her.

"You've paid fer other people's sins long enough." Mike said. "I didn't save you so you could feel guilty and torture yerself….I want you to have th' life you deserve, with friends and a family who love you….I want you to be happy." He said, remembering Rahne's words to him the night before.

"Thank you." Laura said as she wiped her eyes. "I want to believe I can still have a life….that I am not broken."

"They couldn't break you Laura…after everything they did to you; they couldn't take away yer humanity." He said. "X-23 is a failed experiment; yer're Laura Kinney…leave that name and that life behind and become who yer're meant to be." Mike said as Rahne sniffed and dried her eyes.

"Ye cannae help th' way ye were brought intae th' world Laura." Rahne said as she hugged her. "It wasn't yuir fault…they took everything from ye and ye never had a chance…I know wha' tha's like." Rahne said. She felt so bad for Laura because the poor girl _was_ being forced to pay for the sins of others just as she had been.

"I know how confused and alone ye feel…it was th' same fer me after I ran away." Rahne admitted. "I didn't know who I was or what I believed anymore and people said I was tae broken tae fix. I believed tha' muhself until th' MacTaggerts adopted me. It hasn't been easy, but I've got a mum who loves me and friends who believe in me and they've helped me take muh life back." She said. "Ye've got a lot of people who love ye and believe in ye Laura and ye can take yuir life back jus' as I did." She said. Cessily was touched by what they'd said to Laura and she was thankful they cared so much about all of them.

"You're not alone anymore…you have a family and I'm here for you no matter what." Cessily said as she held her close. Laura wasn't used to showing emotion, but she couldn't help crying as she held her friend. She hadn't truly felt loved since her mother had died and she'd been forced to leave her aunt and cousin to save them from Kimura and the Facility. She thought she'd lost everything, but she realized Cessily was right, she had a family and friends who would love her and help her. She was finally beginning to feel that she deserved to be loved and she was grateful to all of them for believing in her.

"Take care of each other." Rahne said as she and Mike turned to leave.

"I know that wasn't easy, but Laura needed to hear that." Mike said as he and Rahne stepped out into the hallway.

"I had a really rough childhood." Rahne admitted. "I know wha' it's like tae be told yui're a monster…tae feel unlovable…tae lose hope…I'll nae let her face tha' alone." She said as she looked up at him.

"Laura needs good people like you in her life Rahne." Mike said as they held each other close.

"I'm no saint." Rahne admitted. "I've got a nasty temper when I'm mad…and I get mad tae easily." She said. Rahne had overcome most of the emotional problems of her childhood, but she had a short temper, just like Reverend Craig, and she still struggled with it. Reverend Craig may have been responsible for her birth, but she didn't consider him her father and she couldn't stand to be anything like him. She always felt terrible and cried when she got angry and yelled at the others.

"I have a hard time believin' that." Mike said as they held each other. As forgiving and patient as she'd been the night before, it was hard for him to imagine her snapping at people, but he didn't expect her to be perfect. He understood that she still carried emotional scars from her childhood and from the war and he knew from his own experience that some wounds would never fully heal.

"If ye'd seen how awful I was tae Dani yesterday, ye wouldnae." Rahne said. Seeing Mike reconcile with Logan made her feel guilty that she still hadn't apologized to Danielle for yelling at her the day before. She was proud of Mike for being the bigger man and she knew she had to be the one to settle things with Danielle. Watching Cessily comfort Laura reminded her of all the times Danielle had been there for her, but now she was the one in need and Rahne wasn't going to abandon her.

"Danielle was pretty awful herself." Mike reminded her.

"I know…" Rahne sighed. "But she's lost and hurt and I cannae jus' give up on her." She said as she began to cry. "She was muh best friend growin' up and she was always there fer me." She said as Mike held her. He didn't know exactly what had happened to Danielle since he'd been in space fighting the Badoon three years ago, but if Colonel Stryker had been involved he knew it must have been bad. That didn't excuse her actions the day before, but it did help him understand them and he was willing to give her another chance.

"I have tae talk her." Rahne said as she dried her tears.

"I know." Mike said. She really needed to rest, but he knew how important this was to her and he wasn't about to try to talk her out of it. He regretted his broken friendship with Melissa and Vance and he prayed Rahne could save her relationship with Danielle.

* * *

**Fox Hollow Community**

**Doug's House**

"Ye did a good job today Doug." Theresa said as they pulled up in his driveway. She sounded terrible, but Doug really appreciated her saying that. He realized he wasn't like the others and he'd been feeling really bad about what had happened earlier.

"Glad somebody thinks so…" He sighed as he got out of the truck.

_"Everyone_ thinks so." Theresa told him. "Ye hurt th' others and made them angry, but that doesn't mean they don't appreciate ye and everything ye've done fer th' team." She said. "Ye don't know Rahne so ye don't know how personal what happened to Karima is fer her." She explained. "She's sweet, but she had a really rough life and she gets emotional sometimes…I hope ye can fergive her fer that." She said.

"I know I screwed up." He admitted.

"Yeah, but you saved the world so we'll give you another chance." James said. He still didn't like Doug, but he felt bad seeing him beat himself up like that. He wasn't strong and brave like the others, but he'd put himself in harms way to save the world just as they had and James respected that.

"We'll pick ye up in a few days when everyone's had a chance to unwind and we can talk about th' future." Theresa told him. "We'll need ye more than ever when we take on th' Reavers."

"Thanks Terry, I'll be ready." Doug said as they pulled out of the driveway. He felt better now and he was ready to help the team take down the Reavers.

* * *

**The Boathouse**

_'God, please help me to speak to her….I don't want to lose my friend again.'_ Rahne prayed as she saw Danielle standing near the boathouse, looking out toward Breakstone Lake. They'd stood at that spot many times before when they were younger and needed a quiet place to talk or console each other. Even at this distance Rahne could tell by her scent how sad Danielle was. Rahne was deeply hurt because she knew she was part of the reason why Danielle felt so terrible. Danielle had been totally out of line yesterday at breakfast, but she shouldn't have answered her so harshly. It broke Rahne's heart to see her so angry and jealous when she had always been so strong and confident growing up.

"Ye better wait here." Rahne said as she turned to Mike.

"Yeah…I'm gonna call home." He said as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Rahne, you should be in bed." Danielle said as Rahne walked up and stood beside her, looking out over the sparkling waters of the lake. She and Ororo had helped Rahne undress and get into the pod, so she knew how serious her injuries were. She felt terrible about how she'd treated Rahne after her talk with Ororo and she'd been trying to think of the best way to apologize to her.

"I know…but we need tae talk." Rahne said. She still felt bad despite Mike's psychic intervention, but her friendship with Danielle was too important for her to put this off another day.

"Rahne, listen…about yesterday…"

"Dani, please jus' let me say somethin' first." Rahne interrupted. "I'm sorry fer wha' I said yesterday…" She said as she began to cry. "Tha' was a terrible thing tae say….especially after all ye've been through." She said as she wiped a tear off her cheek. "I cannae count all th' times ye were there fer me, but I told ye I couldnae deal wit' ye…can ye fergive me Dani?" She asked sorrowfully.

"Rahne don't, it's alright…I **was** out of line yesterday…I **was** talking down to you…and I **was** a jealous, hateful bitch to Tabitha and Mike." She admitted as she reached over and put her arm around Rahne.

"It's _nae_ alright." Rahne said. "Friends dinnae jus' give up on each other…I love ye Dani." She said she hugged Danielle.

"I love you too Rahne…and I forgive you." Danielle sighed.

"Thank ye." Rahne said as she wiped her eyes.

"Please don't cry anymore." Danielle said as she hugged Rahne. "I'm really sorry about yesterday…I said a lot of things I shouldn't have."

"I fergive ye, but I want ye tae understand somethin' Dani." Rahne said as she looked up at her. "I love Tabby and I'm **_nae_** going tae choose between ye. I wanted us all tae be friends…I still do, but I dinnae know if she'll ever trust ye again." Rahne said. "She didnae take anythin' from ye and I'm nae going tae let ye treat her like she doesn't belong here." Rahne told her. Danielle was stung by Rahne's words, even though everything she'd said was true.

"It feels like you _have_ chosen between us, the way you've been suppressing our link." Danielle told her. Cable had rigorously trained every member of X-Force to detect and resist psychic mind probes before the war. Rahne was strong, but her mental defenses weakened when she slept and the terror she felt during her nightmare caused her mental shields to collapse for a moment. Danielle sensed her nightmare and realized Rahne had been intentionally blocking their psychic link since her powers returned and she was deeply hurt.

"I've been supressin' our link because I dinnae want ye tae have tae live with muh trauma from th' war on top of everythin' else yui're dealin' with." Rahne said indignantly. Danielle realized Rahne was only trying to protect her and she was ashamed of herself for doubting her.

"I'm sorry...I'm not used to being the one who needs protecting, but you're right…I'm **not** over what happened." Danielle said as a tear ran down her cheek.

"I can help." Rahne offered. She knew that some wounds never completely heal and she wanted to comfort her friend. She still carried emotional scars from her past life and she knew she always would, but with the love and support of her family and friends, the old wounds didn't hurt so much anymore.

"No…you've been through enough already." Danielle told her. "I had a long talk with Ororo and she's going to help me."

"If tha's wha' ye want." Rahne said. She was a little hurt that Danielle didn't want to let her help, but she was smart enough to realize part of it had to do with her relationship with Mike. Danielle could deny it all she wanted, but it was obvious she was harboring a lot of resentment because of what Stryker had done and she just wasn't comfortable discussing it with Rahne because of her interspecies relationship.

"It is…its better this way Rahne." Danielle said.

"As long as ye get help." Rahne said as she held her close. She knew from her own experience that Danielle wasn't going to get better overnight and that her recovery was going to take a lot of time, patience and love.

"I will." Danielle said. "Now stop worrying about me…you need take care of yourself." She told her. She could feel Rahne's pain even through their muted psychic link and she was glad to see Mike coming to take her home. Rahne had been strong as long as she could, but she was still weak from her injuries and she needed to rest.

"I've got her Danielle." Mike said as he scooped Rahne into his arms. He'd made sure his family was safe so now he could concentrate on her again and she began to feel a little better as he cradled her in his arms. He was still a long way from liking Danielle, but he was happy that she and Rahne had made amends and saved their friendship.

"Take care of her Mike." Danielle said as he carried Rahne back to the mansion. She knew their relationship would never be the same as it had been, but she knew Rahne still loved her and she wasn't giving up on her. She wanted to get better for Rahne, her parents and her friends and she was really sorry she'd hurt them all. She'd made a lot of mistakes and she didn't know if she could repair the damage, but she was going to apologize to everyone and do her best to make peace with Tabitha and Mike.

* * *

**Epilogue**

**Sub-Level 1 – Training Room**

**One Week Later**

"Take a break Nori, you've earned it." Mike said as she pulled off her Karate uniform top and flopped down on the sparring mat in her sports bra, sweaty, panting and utterly exhausted. They'd been practicing self-defense and sparring non-stop for over and hour and he was really impressed by her skill and her resolve. He hadn't gone easy on her at all and the room was sweltering, but she hadn't complained once. She'd gotten frustrated and angry with him a few times, but she hadn't thought about quitting and he was proud of her.

"Thanks." She said as she sat up and he handed her a Gatorade. She was tired and sore from her morning workout and then training so hard with him, but she felt good and she was proud of all she'd accomplished. Mike was a really tough instructor, but she'd learned a lot and deep down she was glad he was taking such an interest in her and her training.

"Don't let this go to yer head, 'cause you've got a lot of work ahead of you, but it's been a while since I've seen anyone with so much natural talent." He said as he sat down beside her. "Yer're fast even without yer powers and strong too, but its yer judgment that really impresses me." He said. "I think you should take th' leadership exam fer yer squad."

"We've already got a leader." She said.

"Barrett's no leader." Mike said bluntly. "That Allen kid _might_ have potential, but he's a bookworm not a fighter." He told her. "You've got book smarts, street smarts and th' instincts to be a good leader…**_if_** you get yer temper under control." He added.

"_You're_ going to lecture _me_ about my temper?" Noriko asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, I am." He said. "Gettin' drunk and havin' a breakdown is a little different from losin' yer temper with yer instructor." He told her.

"Point taken." She said, pouting.

"So…how'd your first visit with the shrink go?" She asked after a moment. She would never admit it to Mike, but he'd become one of her childhood heroes after he'd helped save Japan and she was really disappointed in him for getting drunk and fighting Logan. She was older and jaded now and she knew The Avengers were far from perfect, but part of her still wanted him to be the hero she'd imagined when she was ten.

"It was hard…" Mike sighed. SHIELD agents went through rigorous psychological testing and he was among the strongest, but losing Jesse was so devastating that he'd finally broken down after all he'd endured in the war. He should have been relieved of duty and treated for PTSD a year ago, but with so many Avengers dead and so much chaos; SHIELD had kept him in the field despite his trauma.

"But it's somethin' I have to do…I have Rahne to think about now." He really admired Rahne; she was wise beyond her years, but she'd still managed to hang on to her innocence and hope and he wanted to be better for her.

"So how's everything goin' with you?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Okay I guess." She sighed.

"Hard to adjust to bein' normal again isn't it?" He asked.

"Yeah…going to school again is a pain in the ass and I'm used to having my own space." She said. She liked Megan, but she was used to being by herself and having a roommate was a big adjustment. She'd lived in a constant state of fear on the streets and she woke at the slightest noise in the night from her roommate. Still, Megan was sweet and they had a few things in common so it wasn't all bad and she didn't have to constantly worry about being robbed, raped or murdered.

"Could be worse." Mike reminded her.

"Yeah, a lot worse." Noriko said. "I'm not complaining Mike, I'm glad to be here."

"I'm glad yer're here too." He said. He knew Noriko had already been through a lot and he was glad she finally had a safe place to live. It broke his heart to see her lost and unloved and he wanted to help her put her life back together if he could. Ororo had approached him about becoming Noriko's legal guardian and after talking it over with Rahne he'd agreed, provided Noriko didn't object.

"Listen Nori…there's somethin' I need to talk to you about." Mike said after a moment. "Yer're still a minor and yer're gonna need a guardian to stay in th' country…I'll sign th' papers if you don't have any objection to it being me." He said. He had problems of his own to sort out, but nobody else was going to love Noriko and care for her and he knew they'd been brought together for a reason. Noriko had an attitude and he knew she'd be a real handful sometimes, but she wasn't a bad kid and she deserved so much better than her present circumstances.

"You're not going to start acting like you're my dad are you?" She asked.

"No, I'm not tryin' to be yer father…but I am tryin' to give you a _real_ home." He told her. "I know how smart and capable you are, but you still need someone who always has your best interest at heart." He said.

"We have literally _nothing_ in common…you're not going to start giving me a bunch of shit about how I dress, what I do with my hair, or the music I listen to are you?" Noriko asked.

"I'm not gonna try to change who you are Nori." He said. "As long as you keep yer grades up and I know where you are and who yer're with we won't have a problem, but don't try me." He told her.

"Why do _you_ care Mike? Don't you have enough problems without me?" She asked. It was difficult for her to trust anyone after being disowned by her parents and she was really angry and hurt, but deep down she wanted to believe that Mike really cared about her.

"Yer're **not** a problem." He said emphatically. "I care because yer're special Noriko and yer life matters…and because you deserve to be loved." He told her. "I know it won't always be easy…they'll be days when you hate me and days when you piss me off, but I'll do th' best I can fer you and I'll never abandon you." He said.

"Sign the papers." Noriko said. She knew he was right, it would be hard sometimes, but she knew Mike wasn't doing this out of pity or because he felt obligated. She knew he genuinely cared about **her** and she knew how lucky she was to have someone like him in her life.

"I'll take care of everything this afternoon." He said.

"Thanks Mike…I nearly got deported once already." She admitted.

"They can catch a mutant, but they can't stop thousands of illegals from crossin' th' border every year?" Mike asked sarcastically.

"Apparently." Noriko sighed.

"You mind if I ask what happened?" He asked her.

"You're not Japanese, you wouldn't understand." She said.

"Tell me anyway." He said.

"My dad and I have never gotten along." She told him. "He believes our traditions are more important than anything…and I've always been a disappointment to him because I don't want to live in the past." She explained. "It was bad enough that I wouldn't act like a _"proper little Japanese girl"_ but then I mutated and I didn't even look like one anymore." She said. "He said I'd dishonored the family and he sent me off to one of the labs working on a cure for mutants…I was there for years and wasn't allowed to see my mom or my brother." She said as she wiped away a tear and Mike put his arm around her shoulders.

"Yer're right, I don't understand." Mike said. "I'll never understand how a man can think "honor" or anything else is more important than his own child." He told her. "My parents thought I was a mutant when I was a kid, but they didn't throw me out or make me sleep in th' barn. They loved me and they weren't ashamed of me." He said.

"I wish my family was like yours." Noriko sighed.

"We're not perfect, but we're not dysfunctional." Mike told her.

"This lab he sent you to…is that why yer powers are outta control?" He asked after a moment.

"No…I wasn't a critical case back then so they only kept me for observation." She said. "They were trying to help, but I don't believe they can cure us." She said. "I'd heard about the Institute and how they could help mutants like me, so I spent my time learning English and looking for a chance to escape." She explained. "One day my friend Daisuke volunteered to test the cure…it didn't work…his powers overloaded and he exploded." She said. "He took out half the lab and killed a lot of the doctors and patients…the security system went down and I ran…I just ran." She choked out as she started to cry and Mike did his best to comfort her. "I finally made it to San Diego, but I got picked up by INS and they were going to send me back. My powers had been growing, but then they just went crazy…I overloaded, fried every system in the building and escaped again." She told him. "I was on my way here when the war started…the whole country went to hell and all the X-Men disappeared…I did what I had to do to survive, but then I heard the institute was open again and that's when I met you." She said.

"No one should have to go through what you did Nori, but yer're really strong and really brave to have made it here by yerself." Mike said. "Yer're safe now and I won't let anyone take you away from here." He reassured her.

"Thank you." Noriko said as she dried her eyes. He'd always had the love and support of his family and he couldn't imagine how awful she must feel. Noriko did feel horribly alone and she missed her mother and her brother terribly, but she did feel a little better now that Mike had promised he'd always be there for her.

"Come on, we're done with this fer th' day." Mike said. "I'll go make lunch and then Tabitha said she wanted to take you to town to pick up a few things fer yer room." He said as they headed for the locker rooms.

* * *

**The Garden**

"Thanks Rahne…I promise I'll get the hang of this soon." Xian said as they sat down on the bench under the oak tree to watch Nga and Leong play with the other children from the lower school. Xian was still a little unsteady on her prosthetic leg, but she was managing thanks to her new friends and she was glad to be able to take the twins out to play. Forge had really done an exceptional job and the pressure sensors in the sole of her foot and toes made balancing easier, but it still wasn't the same. She was also having trouble adjusting to the weight of her prosthesis, but she was getting stronger everyday.

"Yui're doin' fine Xian." Rahne said. She was happy to see Xian making such progress and she was grateful that she didn't blame her for the loss of her leg. She, Mike and the rest of X-Force had tried to apologize, but Xian wouldn't hear of it and thanked them for saving her family instead.

"It's just heavier than I expected." She said as she stretched both legs out in front of her. Her new leg was really amazing; it perfectly matched the dimensions of her real leg and it was tied directly to her nervous system. She could move her knee, ankle and even each toe and while it didn't feel like her real leg, at least she felt something.

"Yui're doin' really well though." Rahne said. "Mike told me his dad lost his leg in Afghanistan and it was months before he could walk as well as ye are now." She said.

"I know I'm lucky to have a leg like this." Xian said. Trask Industries most advanced prosthesis was nowhere near as functional as hers and patients usually took months to adjust. "I've really been blessed." She said as offered a silent prayer of thanks as she thought about all she and her family had been through lately. She may have lost a leg, but she'd found a home, new friends and a safe place to raise Nga and Leong.

"We all have." Rahne said. The world was finally safe from the sentinel threat, Mark, Callie and the new students were adjusting to life on campus, Karima and Eddie were making progress, Jean-Paul and Xian were recovering, Monet was _slightly_ less horrible, Laura felt better about herself, Danielle was getting help and Mike was going to counseling with her. They had weathered the storm and they were all looking forward to a brighter future. Rahne knew their fight was far from finished, but she was going to be thankful for the good things in her life and enjoy a peaceful afternoon with her friends. _'This is turning out to be a really nice day. I hope nothing weird happens.'_She thought.

"Hey babe." Wade said as he teleported, startling both of them.

"I wish ye'd stop doin' tha'!" Rahne yelled.

"I wish you'd stop shedding on the furniture!" Wade told her.

"Hey Wade." Xian said as she rolled her eyes. She had the honor of being Wade's latest "X-Woman" crush and he was about to get shot down yet again. Everyone knew Wade was crazy, but they were all tired of his ridiculous antics and they all wanted him to leave. Unfortunately, Cable still owed him money and since he was still waiting for Forge to repair his arm, Wade wasn't going anywhere.

"I got some coupons to IHOP; you wanna ditch doggy breath and the rug rats for a romantic dinner for two?" He asked. His last attempt to woo Rahne had ended badly and he was still pouting.

"I'd teach ye some manners if th' kids weren't here ye dirty wanker!" Rahne said angrily.

"I'm flattered Wade, but I'm not attracted to guys." Xian said.

"Neither am I! We have something in common!" Wade said.

"Yuir're hopeless." Rahne said as she buried her face in her palm.

"Hey Shan, why don't you possess him and make him stick his dick in a power outlet, then ya'll can have something else in common." Tabitha said as she joined them. Smacking Wade around when he acted like a pervert never worked, but she knew exactly how to handle him.

"She can do that?!" He gasped.

"Yeah." Xian said.

"See you around babe!" He said as he teleported away to annoy someone else.

"Thanks Tabitha." Xian said.

"We'll have tae remember tha' trick." Rahne said as sat back down.

"I'm gonna take Nori shopping after lunch; let's grab Terry and make it girls day out." Tabitha told them. They'd all been through hell and it would be great to get out and act like normal people for a few hours.

"Tabitha…I just got this leg and I'm still getting used to walking again." Xian said. She was handling her loss remarkably well, but despite her talk with Forge, she was still self-conscious about her appearance.

"You can use the hover chair." Tabitha said. It was obvious Xian was insecure about her appearance, but Tabitha knew from past experience she needed to face her fears as soon as possible.

"I don't want anyone to see me like this yet." Xian admitted.

"Xian…I know a bit about wha' yuir're goin' through right now." Rahne said quietly. "Fer a while I couldnae change forms and I looked like a monster…but Tabby wouldnae let me give up and hide. She made me get out and live muh life and it was really hard…but its wha' I needed." She told her.

"I guess you're right." Xian sighed. "I can't stay here forever…might as well get this over with." She said. She knew they were right and she knew this would be easier with friends to support her. _'I've been through worse and I can get through this too.'_She reminded herself.

"It'll be fun." Tabitha told her.

"Thanks Tabitha…I didn't really have any friends back in Chicago." She said. Her job and her family took up all her time and she didn't resent her responsibility, but she was really happy to have friends again.

"This place is about second chances and new starts." Tabitha told her. "Things are going to be better." She said.

"They already are." Xian said as she watched the twins playing with the other children. She could finally let them play outside without worrying about them getting shot or beaten up and robbed. Living in a house full of superheroes was going to be a big adjustment, but she knew she'd made the right choice now that she saw how happy her brother and sister were.

"I'll go find Terry." Tabitha said.

"Can we bring Dani too?" Xian asked.

"Yeah…we'll bring her too." Tabitha sighed. She and Danielle still didn't really like each other, but they were trying to make peace for Rahne's sake. Tabitha would never trust her with anything personal again, but she'd forgiven her and after what she'd just said about second chances, she knew she had to include her.

* * *

**Office of the Headmistress**

"That's th' last of 'em Ro; they just got through fishin' those two big ones out of th' lake." Sam said as he and Theresa walked into Ororo's office. **Damage Control** had finally finished removing the wrecked sentinels from the grounds and Sam and Theresa had been overseeing the work for her. It had been a busy week and Ororo was grateful for their help. Callie and Mark's parents had visited earlier in the week; Annie had agreed to care for Madeline and Haley and Ororo had taken custody of Nicholas herself. She'd also helped Xian and her family get settled and she was making arrangements to have the old groundskeepers' cottage on the eastside of the property fixed up so they could have a home of their own. Karima's parents would have to return to India soon, but Ororo had made arrangements for her to remain at the Institute while she recovered and continued her education. She'd made similar arrangements with Eddie's parents and she was also planning a memorial for the young mutants Trask had killed in his cruel experiments.

"Thank you Sam." Ororo said. "I appreciate everything you and Theresa have done this week…it's made helping the new students and planning this memorial easier." She said.

"Yeah…they delivered th' grave markers this morning." Sam sighed as he and Theresa turned to leave. They'd all taken Dr. Reyes' advice to heart, but the loss of six innocent lives was still hard to bear.

"Wait." Ororo said. "I said we'd talk again after the mission was over…and I've come to a decision." She said. "This incident has shown me just how much we need the X-Force; so I'm making you my personal strike team to defend the school." She told them. "You have my full support Sam and all the resources of the institute."

"Yer're makin' th' right decision." Sam said. "But I doubt Scott will see it that way, even after what happened…he's gonna try t' fight ya on this." He said.

"I'm sure he will, but **I'm** headmistress and it's **my** responsibility to protect the school and the students." Ororo told them. "My decision is final and the X-Men **will** respect it."

"Ro…are ye _really_ ready to do this?" Theresa asked.

"I'm not willing to lay one more child to rest in that graveyard knowing there was something more I could have done to protect them." Ororo said. "Artie…Leech…Illyana…now these children…this has to end and it ends now."

"Even if it means getting yer hands dirty with us?" Theresa asked again.

"This is the hardest decision I've ever had to make…I didn't sleep at all last night trying to talk myself out of it." Ororo admitted. "I know this means I'll be bloodying my hands…and yours, but that's a sacrifice we have to make to protect the school." She told them. "If my generation had been willing to take that step, then you wouldn't have to and for that I am truly sorry." She said. She'd taught the New Mutants since they were young teens and it made her sick to know that now she might have to order them to kill an enemy to protect the students. She didn't want this life for any of them, but they were left with no alternative and they were all prepared to do what was necessary to keep the kids safe.

"So are we." Theresa said bluntly. She hated what the team had become under Cable's leadership and even though they were charting a new course with Sam, this really wasn't what she wanted to do with her life. She didn't regret her service during the war, none of them did, but they weren't meant to be soldiers. It made her angry that after everything they'd sacrificed they had to give even more, but she wasn't going to allow the next generation to grow up the way she had.

"We accept Ro…but at th' moment we're not ready to go hunt down Pierce and th' Reavers." Sam said. "Me and Tabby need some time off and so does Mike." He explained.

"I understand Sam; you've all been through a lot lately." Ororo said.

"James and I are going after them while they're gone." Theresa explained. "Tessa asked to join and we'll have Doug and Wade to help us too." She said.

"Tess is gonna need access to Cerebro and th' main database." Sam said.

"Of course." Ororo said.

"I also want you to consider letting Doug live on campus now." Sam said. "He'll be able to accomplish a lot more with our tech than if he keeps working out of his mom's basement." He told her.

"Sam, he's a criminal." Ororo said.

"So is Emma and she's dean of students." Sam reminded her.

"Very well." Ororo said tersely. "Make whatever arrangements you need…but Sam, he's **your** responsibility and if he does anything to bring disfavor on this school, you'll answer for it." She said emphatically.

"If you want X-Force then you have to take th' good with th' bad." Sam reminded her. "We'll keep you informed." He said as he and Theresa left to find the others and tell them the news.

_'You won't agree with what I've done Charles…but the world has changed and its time for the X-Men to change with it.'_ Ororo thought as she stood up and looked out the window at Xian's siblings playing in the yard with the other little mutants. Many of the older students were relaxing by the pool and she was glad they all had the opportunity to act like normal kids.

"You made the right call Ro." Logan said as he stopped in the doorway.

"I know Logan…but I still feel like I'm betraying Charles." She sighed.

"He put you in charge because he knew you'd have the courage to make the decisions that he and Scott wouldn't." Logan told her. "It's a new world Ro and its time for new X-Men." He said.

* * *

**"Wow, you made it this far. I'm impressed; you're crazier than I am. Now go write a review and tell the asshat writing this that you demand more Deadpool!"**

**-Deadpool**


End file.
